Completion & opening of Dunya Women’s Cancer Clinic.
My task was to capture some impressions of the newly opened clinic within three days, before its official opening. More specifically, I aimed to provide glimpses of the premises and men, or rather mostly women, at work. The timing was already a little tight for such a job in the Middle East. But when I arrived, I met electricians, painters, carpenters and many other workers in full action. How on earth would I be able to capture a harmonic business day of a clinic with the rooms crowded with drilling, hammering handymen covered in dust? But despite the deadline, there was no hectic. They all worked within their usual rhythm. I had no idea how I would be able to complete the job. But I did! Maybe because I asked the women to help me coordinate with the workers. Or maybe just because the Palestinians are the world’s masters in improvisation.
It never felt so easy to capture the right moment of an expression as it was in Palestine. And that despite, perhaps, the Palestinian women’s awkwardness of being in a closed room with an unfamiliar male. And none of them had any experience with photo shootings. Even so, the sessions were totally relaxed and truly authentic!
My advice for independent photographers: Go to Palestine!
More pictures in “Reportage” at tarek.ch
More information on the project at www.medipalestine.ch (not up to date, projects comes first!)