Spotlight
Head On Photo Festival featured exhibition "Ladies in Waiting" by Roni Ben Ari
roni ben ari
Apr 14, 2019
and I am a finalist of the head-on festival contest.
if you are near by you are most invited to come and meet me.
Panel talk -Sunday sun 5 may,10:30am-11:45pm Title: The Naked Truth: Exploring Sexual & Gender Identity from Behind the Lens
Artist talk -Wed 8 May, 12.30pm at the Festival Hub, Paddington Town Hall.
These pictures are the result of a 2-year photography project and book documenting sex workers in many countries, including Israel, India, the Netherlands, and Russia. My work continues a tradition of early 20th century black and white documentary-style photography. I intend to shed light on those individuals who are marginalized from society: the rejected, the invisible, and the voiceless.
"I started this project after volunteering for a mobile health clinic in Tel Aviv, where we provided medical care and food to women who work as prostitutes. The mobile clinic was comprised of a doctor, a nurse, a social worker and volunteers who travel on scheduled days to the areas where prostitutes live and work. We provided services that included HIV and STD testing, distributed contraceptives and clean syringes, and serving sandwiches and hot drinks. It was important for us to establish a safe space for these women, and encourage them to speak openly about their life experiences. After building their trust, many of the women invited me into their homes and intimate spaces. I photographed this community while they were between customers, documenting their daily routines, mealtimes, conversations, laughter, and leisurely activities. While creating this body of work, I avoided photographing the women while they were working. Through Ladies in Waiting, I hope to dignify and elevate the lives of these women and reveal the humanity within them".
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