We spoke with Maya Anner, the head curator of PHOTO IS:RAEL. This is the 7th annual international photo festival running from November 28 to December 7, 2019. The festival will feature 250 photographers from around the world in 40 international exhibitions, including Alec Soth, Marc Ohrem-Leclef, Ivri Lider and dozens of other international artists.

Emilia Pesantes: Congratulations on PHOTO IS:RAEL’s 7th annual festival! For those not familiar, can you tell us about PHOTO IS:RAEL and its mission?

Maya Anner: PHOTO IS:RAEL is an organization dedicated to the promotion of the art of photography in Israel and abroad. For us photography is a language. It is the language in which we speak, communicate, and argue, the language with which we volunteer and initiate dozens of community outreach programs throughout the year.

Our year-round activity includes: workshops for professional and amateur photographers as well as for the general public; events promoting artistic and social discourse through the language of photography; volunteer work through various non-profit organizations; educational projects for younger and older students; trips to international photography events; photography competitions; and – the pinnacle of our year – the International Photography Festival. Launched in 2009, this annual festival draws tens of thousands of visitors each year. The various events and activities initiated by PHOTO IS:RAEL uphold the values that stand before us at all times – innovation in photography, extensive community outreach and the forging of international bridges through the language of photography.

© Gloria Oyarzabal, courtesy of PHOTO IS:RAEL

Emilia: Can you tell us about this year’s theme and what it means to you and your community of artists?

Maya: The word fantasy comes from the Greek, where it means “to picture to oneself.” In psychology, fantasy is a figment of the imagination, conscious or subconscious, which reveals our desires, hopes, anxieties or fears. An honest and bold examination of one’s inner self results in the creation of interesting and profound art. When we decided on the theme for this year’s festival about a year ago, we were searching for exactly such art. Unsure what materials we’d be receiving, we were immensely curious and yet slightly concerned.

Happily, the submissions we received for the festival’s open call revealed a broad spectrum of interpretations of this theme, showing us that fantasy is everywhere - even in documentary narratives rooted in reality. We also discovered projects which blur the boundaries between fiction and nonfiction and offer poetic, dreamlike narratives which are not necessarily clear or coherent.

Our search for fantasy in the works of participating artists outside of the central Open Call Exhibition added further layers of meaning to this rapidly expanding theme:

Fantasy can be nothing but an illusion, an unattainable figment of the imagination.

Fantasy can be an aspiration, a dream that we seek to achieve. It is part of our daily life, whether in our thoughts or actions.

A fantastical work of art may touch on the artist’s relationship with their creation or chosen medium.

It may combine elements that logically shouldn’t fit together.

It can describe a desire for something - personal, social or political.

It can visualize a goal we want to achieve, or a daydream.

Despite the obvious connection between fantasy and the personal, we were happy to note that many artists dealt with the theme outside themselves. As in previous years, many of the works touched on social and political themes and sought to expose wrongdoing or expressed a desire for a better world.

© Michael Solarski, courtesy of PHOTO IS:RAEL

Emilia: On your website, I notice the mention of the desire to “breach hierarchies and provide equal opportunities to every artist.” How does the team behind PHOTO IS:RAEL go about doing this?

Maya: Our fantasy of a just and equal world lies at the heart of our commitment to amplifying voices which are not given their rightful place. Talented and ground-breaking women who were absent from the history of Israeli photography are given their due in our Pioneers exhibition. Likewise, we want to sound the voices of the many marginalized communities across Israel using the language of photography. These photographers exhibiting side by side with world renowned photographers, photography is part of what we do in order to breach hierarchies.

Our anonymous selection process in our Open Call and the Meitar Award for Excellence in Photography is another. All works are judged anonymously based on their originality and quality.

Emilia: I read that members of the PHOTO IS:RAEL team will be exhibiting work of their own, for the first time, alongside Open Call winners. Do you think this changes the dynamic of the festival from what it's done in the past?

Maya: These are not members of PHOTO IS:RAEL but members of the artistic committee who worked with us in selecting works from the Open Call. These are video works created by members of the artistic committee, presenting their own interpretation of the theme of fantasy. This is yet another step in our mission to dismantle hierarchies and expand the discussion and research into the festival’s main theme.

Emilia: What does PHOTO IS:RAEL look for in portfolios when the time comes to select people to exhibit? What is your criteria as chief curator?

Maya: We look for meaningful works that tell a story, that move. We look for originality and excellence.

Emilia: What are some interesting responses to the theme of fantasy that you didn’t expect?

Maya: It’s fascinating to see each artist’s different approach to the topic of fantasy: from research into questions of yearning, passion and the primal desire for a sense of belonging, the documentation of surreal and fantastical moments within, poetic works with an inner fantastical narrative, to an exploration of the photographic medium and its fantastical potential, fictionalized staged scenes, and documentary photography with fantastical elements.

© Lindsay McCrum, courtesy of PHOTO IS:RAEL

Emilia: Are there any artists you are particularly excited about this year?

Maya: I am very excited that we will be exhibiting and hosting renowned American photographer Alec Soth this year. You can say it is a realization of my fantasy. With his large-format analog camera, Soth has been telling the story of America for many years now. His photographs are visually stunning and yet intimate, poetic, and moving. Soth will be exhibiting his iconic project, Sleeping by the Mississippi. Soth depicts his subjects with acceptance and compassion, without judgement, and thus creates an intimate, melancholic and touching portrait that is larger than the sum of its parts. In reviewing this body of work 15 years after its publication, it is clear that it not only tells the story of America and its people, but touches on themes which are relevant to each and every one of us, all across the globe.

For more information, visit PHOTO IS:RAEL’s website.

Nov 25 PHOTO IS:RAEL | A Conversation with Maya Anner

Nov 26 Anti-Thanksgiving

Nov 22 The Night Before

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