Review: Hodie Mihi, Cras Tibi by Nasser Khadjenoori

A haunting visual journey through buried stories around the world, Hodie Mihi, Cras Tibi by Nasser Khadjenoori is a reverent and revealing book about the unbreakable bond between life and death. Taking readers on a poetic and photographic travelogue through final resting places from El Paso and Salem to Budapest and Buenos Aires, the creation of this book is a sociological and emotional endeavor.

The author and photographer focuses on the unique aspect of cemeteries as a place where life and death meet, where transitioning and transformation occur beneath our feet, and during active grief. Cemeteries act as a connection point between the living and the lost, and therefore hold a sacred place in humanity’s history, our diverse cultures, and our collective understanding of the human experience.

Notably, Khadjenoori hasn’t sought out the most beautiful or famous cemeteries around the world – instead, he has chosen to highlight resting places that are sadly overlooked or ignored. From unmarked graves in Arizona prison cemeteries to barren tracts where the bodies and memories of political dissidents are buried in Iran, the striking photography and brief anecdotes make for emotionally compelling and provocative content.

Some of the most powerful images include the Sandy Hook Memorial in Newtown, Connecticut, the General Cemetery in Santiago, Chile, the Nueva Esperanza Cemetery in Lima, Peru, and Behesht-e Zahra Cemetery in Tehran, Iran. Choosing powerful locations like the anonymous graves of the enslaved, military cemeteries, and other monuments of dark history, the stark photography takes on even greater weight and meaning. Many readers may never visit these somber places, even if they visit these countries, so this book is a transportive glimpse into rituals of death around the world, which unite us, despite our differences.

While prose and photography about mortality could have the potential to be depressing or macabre, Khadjenoori uses this book to celebrate life, empathetically reflect on other people’s experiences, and acknowledge the shared fragility of humanity. Urging readers to live with intention, this unique read is a thoughtful musing on the purpose and potential of our brief human existence, which manages to be inspiring, even with the imagery. That said, the text is surprisingly limited, with only a handful of extended passages that tell the full story of a given graveyard. The pairings of paragraphs with evocative images are the strongest part of the book, and more instances of that depth and detail would make the author’s message even stronger.

In a few places, there could be more contextual clarity about the photographic locations and significance; most are accompanied by clear explanations and geotags, while some feel scattered or even out of place, and so less impactful. The curation of images is generally strong, however, beyond those arguable moments when a photo is more abstract than representative.

Regardless of these minor issues with formatting and curation, the author’s personal reflections, chosen poetry, and artistic choices combine for a profoundly thought-provoking message about the unifying potential of both life and death.