Light From The Middle East

I visited this exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum a couple of weeks ago.  A small exhibition, didn't take long to get round, but interesting nonetheless.  I particularly liked the sepia images of middle eastern women in traditional clothing with a modern accessory - although the point the photographer was making was very serious - the impact was quite humourous.  All in all, this is an exhibition worth seeing; there is a lot to learn from this about the struggles of the Middle East and particularly the impact of middle eastern values on women.  Bizarrely though - this is not about light (as in hope and enlightenment) as the name of the exhibition suggests - more about violence and clashes and contrasts.  I won't go into the three sections in detail (Recording, Reframing and Resisting) in detail: plenty of journalists and other students have already done that.  I enjoyed the first two, but was not too keen on the Resisting section - am not a big fan of mixed media in photography.

For more information see:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2012/dec/09/light-from-middle-east-photography-review

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/art/reviews/ios-photography-review-light-from-the-middle-east-victoria--albert-museum-london-8373704.html

I then visited the exhibition a second time on an OCA study trip - see

http://www.weareoca.com/photography/its-not-about-the-manet/

On this occasion, I spent longer looking at the images and thinking about their impact and messages.  I found I liked the same images as the previous time, but more so.  I particularly liked Halabache by Abbas Kowsari.  On an aesthetic level I really like the saturated colours - a variety of neutral tones with a small bit of blue in the background; these work really well seeing the print for real.

Halabche (c) Abbas Kowsari

In addition to the colours, I liked the irony of the image: the contrast or juxtaposition of a symbol of western culture against quite disturbing symbols of war, violence and terrorism.  Both also occupying central point in the image adding tension (or harmony?) between the two.  Also interesting is the inclusion of a symbol of western culture, which is both rejected and embraced by the Middle East.  The exclusion of the portrait's face depersonalises the image making it even more incongruous.

On the subject of aesthetics, I also enjoyed looking at Briques by Yto Barrada.  Again, a pleasing combination of neutral tones, against a blue sky - less saturated than the above image and taking on an almost 70s processing feel.

Briques (c) Yto Barrada

I enjoyed the contrast of chaos and dessertion, and what appears to be a deliberate slant to the image.  The use of square format is also interesting reflecting the multitude of squares in the image.

An image that sparked an interesting debate among the tutors and students was Tehran 2006 by Mitra Tabrizian.  Again, an effect use of neutral tones against blue sky, this image conveys a composition of disparate subjects, mostly carrying random objects, who all look as if time has suddenly stopped.  You can image them all moving back into action after this endless pause.

Tehran 2006 (c) Mitra Tabrizian

We talked at length about what this image means; for me it's about the contrast between the amount of space but lack of infrastructure, the inclusion of buildings with the subjects walking away and the look of distraction and pre-occupation on their faces.  The two figures in the advertisement are very prominent.  I interpreted these as symbols of oppression, but without understanding the writing we can't be certain.  But, they look as if they are watching over the subjects of the image.  I also liked the composition of the image: the central horizon broken up by the billboard and buildings works for me.  The position of the people at first seems chaotic.  It reminds me of Albuquerque by Lee Friedlander, although that has no people, but the confusion around where the focal point is is similar.

Albuquerque (c) Lee Friedlander

Another image that provoked some interesting analysis was Jama Al Fna Angeles by Hassan Hajjaj.  The image shows four women (angels) taking the pose of western models, with traditional Arab dress adapted to Western trashy fashion.  I think the central alley (strong converging diagonals) with the overhanging blown out sky represents a fashion runway with the bright lights.  The bike in background and crumbling wall reminds of the environment.  They may have Louis Vuitton babouches, but need a clapped out bike to get around!  This image is a comical take on frivolousness of western fashion culture, which at the same time they appear to be enjoying.  The models are laughing beneath their veils.  It's almost a question of who is mocking whom?

Jama Al Fna Angeles (c) Hassan Hajjaj

Also interesting is the framing of this image.  Cans of something - hairspray?  and instantly recognisable coke cans with the writing in Arabic.  I don't know what to say about the framing - I find it almost distracting from the image, although I can see the metaphor.

Finally, and for me, most inspiring, was the panel of watchtowers in the Reframing section of the exhibition.   The panel showed a series of Israeli watchtowers shot on the West Bank in Palestine - symbols of oppression and imprisonment.  Presented by Taysir Batniji, who was unable to personally shoot them being a Palestinian born in Gaza.  The images are imperfect, which tells us that the photographer was taking risks.

Watchtowers (c) Taysir Batniji

The use of black and white without too much contrast adds a sense of calm to the images, although we know that that cannot be the case.  Each image in isolation may not be an interesting photo in its own right, but together as a panel this has tremendous impact.

I don't know why, but I want to try a project like this myself.  I really like the cylinders in rectangles, the repetition although each one is different and the differences in sky colour.  Maybe some gas cylinders....