The
exhibition The Other Resurrection runs until May 30 at Contemporary Art Platform (CAP), Kuwait. This
stunning photography exhibition gives a chance to explore the work of the Middle East’s best photographers. They take you on a journey with their
poignant images and their visual stories are powerful, haunting and
heart wrenching to say the least. In the
current exhibition, 40 outstanding images have been selected from the works of
six distinguished female photographers, each with her own process, technique
and source of inspiration. The featured photographers are: Laura Boushnak
(Palestine), Myriam Abdelaziz (Egypt), Tamara Abdul Hadi (Iraq), Tanya Habjouqa (Jordan), Dalia Khamissy (Lebanon) and Newsha Tavakolian (Iran).
‘Rawiya’
is an Arabic word, which when translated means, “She who tells a story”.
The collective comprises of a group of six female photographers from across the
Middle East and made its official debut at the Format Festival in Derby, UK,
in March 2011.
Speaking
through images, when words fail, these photographers from the Middle East
attempt the return to a past that no longer exists and the departure into a
future that remains unknown. In their
very own words, “They present an insider’s view of a region in flux, balancing
its contradictions while reflecting on social and political issues and
stereotypes.”
With an
artist’s eye, they eloquently capture their visual stories that offer
representations against and beyond the stereotypes. The images reflect their
diverse perceptions as they successfully explore issues of identity crises,
sexual awakening, the literacy crisis and the unconventional graffiti and
street art in Egypt and provide insight on the struggles, triumphs, and
aspirations.
These
women are not only truly remarkable photographers, but their dedication to
chronicle the known and the unknown, the forgotten and the oblivious, is
commendable.
Laura
Boushnak is a Palestinian photographer born in Kuwait. Her work ranges from
conflict photography to experimental storytelling. Boushnak firmly believes
that women can only be empowered by literacy. She is noted for her comprehensive
and impassioned series, I Read, I Write, which focuses on women in
Egypt, a country the UN ranks as one of the ten worst in the world in terms of
illiteracy. “In this series of portraits, women attending literacy classes in
Cairo were invited to participate in the project by writing their own words on
prints of the photographs and tell their own stories.”
"I
Read, I Write" photo series by Laura Boushnak, Image courtesy of Rawiya Collective
“Their
words explore the barriers that have blocked their aspirations, such as
poverty, gender-related disadvantages, early marriage and cultural
constraints,” says Boushnak, “Many women in the Arab world are denied education
and thus deprived of the opportunity to grow and reach their full potential,
which impedes the region’s progress,” she states.
Boushnak’s
work has been published in the New York Times, The Guardian, The
National Geographic and Le Monde.
As a
writer and photographer, Tanya Habjouqa utilizes anthropology as her guide to
storytelling in her journey through lens. She was born in Jordan and educated
in the US, receiving her masters in Global Media and Middle East Politics from
the University of London, The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS).
Habjouqa
is known for gaining unique access to sensitive gender, social and human rights
stories in the Middle East. To see a Habjouqa image is to peel timeless
metaphors of life, love, loss and a strong will to survive the odds.
"Women
of Gaza" by Tanya Habjouqa. Young women exercise in gym, part of the
women's associations with strong religious connections becoming increasingly
predominant across Gaza. Image courtesy of Rawiya Collective
Recently,
she began documenting the everyday lives of Palestinian women in the Gaza
Strip. In her images, Habjouqa expresses an enduring message of hope in the
face of adversity. “As a storyteller, I am drawn to the contradictions
prevalent within the diversity of Middle Eastern culture(s).” Her series Women
of Gaza is an eye catching commentary on a different side of Gaza.
“Despite
the devastation, a community spirit and elegance prevails. Life continues, and
so do the traditions and self-respect—a resistance to letting suffering be the
standard definition. Women are continuing to care for their families, strive
for education, and pursue careers against the odds.”
Iranian
photographer Newsha Tavakolian began working at the tender age of 16 for a
number of reformist dailies, all since banned. By the time she hit 21,
she was working internationally, covering wars, natural disasters and social
documentary stories in Iraq, Lebanon, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Yemen.
Women’s issues are a predominant theme of Newsha’s work.
Photograph
by Newsha Tavakolian, Image courtesy of Rawiya Collective
The
complex social and political issues in the Middle East are deftly captured by
Lebanese Dalia Khamissy. She dwells especially on the aftermath of wars and
their effect on people. Khamissy’s work evokes stillness and solitude. “I
usually work on stories that touch me directly or indirectly and they are
mostly people I relate to who are suffering and I wonder why people have to
endure that,” says Khamissy.
While
elaborating further, she says, “I feel a bit of inner anger, questions and
frustrations and then comes the need to investigate those stories and try to
understand. By listening to my subjects telling their stories, I make them
comfortable and wanting to share more and this is the first step to building
trust.”
“I share
a lot of respect for people who open their spaces and accept me in to tell
their stories and respecting people is the main key,” she says, adding
further,” I always think that the simplest frame can be the most interesting
one. I think the subject I am photographing is already very interesting and I
do not need to make special efforts to make a very interesting frame. It is
there in front of me, I just have to grab the camera and frame what my eyes
see,” she adds.
"Missing"
by Dalia Khamissy, Image courtesy of Rawiya Collective
Through
images brimming with emotion, Khamissy in her Missing series explores
“how those left behind approach the task of grieving and remembrance when there
are no bodies to mourn, nor even verification of a death to which they could
appeal to for closure.” The faces in the photographs, invite quiet
contemplation of the human tragedy.
On the
other hand, a portrait series titled Picture an Arab Man is another
remarkable work by Iraqi Canadian photojournalist Tamara Abdul Hadi.
“The
conceptual aim of this portrait series is two-fold: trying to uncover and break
the stereotypes placed upon the Arab male, and providing an alternative visual
representation of that identity. Secondly, it is a celebration of their sensual
beauty, an unexplored aspect of the identity of the contemporary Arab man, on
the cusp of change in a society that reveres an outdated form of
hyper-masculinity,” explains Abdul Hadi.
"Picture
an Arab Man" series by Tamara Abdul Hadi, Image courtesy of Rawiya Collective
“Through Picture
an Arab Man; I strive to do what I can to redefine the image of the Arab
man for an audience so accustomed to one-dimensional stereotypes… Most
importantly, I hope to properly represent my subjects as diverse and candid men
whose only thing in common is their rich Middle Eastern heritage,” she
stresses.
“No
matter who I am photographing, I try my best to make sure that they feel
comfortable, whether they are in their own surroundings or not. Respect is the
key factor, and staying true to the subject you are documenting is just as
important,” she adds.
Abdul
Hadi began her first job working as a photographer and photo editor at Reuters
News Agency and later for the New York Times, The Guardian, The
Wall Street Journal and The Financial Times. She has also initiated
and taught photography workshops in Lebanon and Palestine, with the goal of giving
empowerment to women and children through the creative arts.
Myriam
Abdelaziz is a French photographer of Egyptian origins and was born in Cairo. A
2006 graduate of the International Centre of Photography, New York, Abdelaziz
takes delight in telling stories through documentaries and portraitures, set in
the Middle East and Africa. Her photographic series Writing on the Walls:
Transition tugs at your heart.
"Writing
on the Walls: Transition" by Myriam Abdelaziz. Photograph titled 'The
Martyr'. During the transition government that started on Feb. 11th 2011 in
Egypt, when President Moubarak stepped down, Grafitis denouncing the actions of
the Army in power started spreading all over the city. Soon
anti-Revolutionaries joined by trying to express their own opinon on top of the
existing grafitis. Image courtesy of Rawiya Collective
Abdelaziz’s
advice to our readers regarding photography is to “look at the images with your
heart not with your eyes. It is about a genuine connection, the camera is just
here to capture an instant where the subject is himself,” she notes.
“It is
inspiring and motivating that some of the galleries based in Europe as well as
US that have extended a hand to us are keen to bring something fresh and
different from the region. One gallery tied to a university in Georgia (USA)
specifically said they saw bringing our work as an educational opportunity for
students to gain new insight into Middle East,” Habjouqa adds.
“We want
to profile not only our social issues with nuance but to also celebrate the
humor and tradition of our region often ignored,” reiterates Habjouqa.
Their
approaches to the untold stories elicit mixed feelings of nostalgia and pain.
“Through Rawiya we want to tell the stories of our societies that were not
being told, because they were not in ‘the hot news’, although they are as
important, if not more important, than the rest,” explains Khamissy.
“I think
that photographers tend to forget that the most important is the subject and
his story and not the photographer and his glory. Once that is remembered, the
photographs would really come out very genuine,” stresses Khamissy.
As for
the future, they add in unison, Rawiya will keep sharing stories from this
region and beyond.
“We would
like to become one of the reference points in the region- for photographers,
journalists, artists, and people with an interest in Middle East in general… To
be known for pushing social boundaries and bringing forth a different
perspective often missing from Middle Eastern narratives.” and that indeed sums
up the essence of Rawiya Collective.
Editor: Deepa Pant
Via Khaleejesque
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