We take a storytelling approach … portraying life around us through an honest, distinctive, and inclusive gaze
Introduction
The photographs of Rona Bar and Ofek Avshalom do not form a typology of similarity but a compendium of diversity. When they began working together they looked for a project they could co-create. As that professional partnership blossomed into a romantic one, they found their photographic theme creating portraits of other couples. The resulting series encompasses a diverse range of people and relationships suggesting in each the lovers’ unique connection, one with the other. What lies between.
Intimate is a word with several meanings depending on how it is used. As a noun it describes a close friend. As an adjective it suggests something private and personal. As a verb it means to make known. While they share a single etymological root, those grammatical forms have evolved divergent meanings over the centuries. Yet, in the imagery of Rona Bar and Ofek Avshalom, those meanings once more entangle. Their portraits move amiably between the private and the public. In subsequent series the artists explore the burgeoning sense of personal identity of young people in the process of discovering who they are and might become. And in so doing, they make visible the self-actualising potential of difference as the key to celebrating one’s own uniqueness. A uniqueness that, perhaps counterintuitively, embraces a more profound sense of our interconnectedness. For it is only when we cease clinging to the confines of uniformity and become wholly ourselves that we can discover the shared wonder of human heterogeneity.
Alasdair Foster
Interview
What drew you to photography as a medium of expression?
We both have a background in music – studied it when we were younger – but in time each of us was looking for a different medium of personal expression. We found photography. It just came naturally. And our photography is often inspired by music.
When did you begin to work together?
We met in 2018, on Instagram. Rona was looking to collaborate with other creatives in Tel Aviv. We realised pretty quickly that we share the same sort of way of seeing things, the same inspirations. So, we thought we’d try to create something together, because we were curious to see how it might look if we made some images that represented both of us creatively. One collaboration led to another and, after a few months, we decided to team up officially as Fotómetro – a photographic duo.
A year later – just a few days before the first Covid lockdown – we became a couple.
[Left] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘Milly’ 2021 from the series ‘Tell Me Where Your Freedom Lies’
[Right] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘A photograph of Martina when she was 18, next to a photograph of her sisters in Netherlands’ 2022 from the series ‘Tell Me Where Your Freedom Lies’
What would you say is the signature style of Fotómetro?
We take a storytelling approach to the medium, portraying life around us through an honest, distinctive, and inclusive gaze. We want to engage viewers from diverse backgrounds. To capture their imaginations. Take them on a journey into our visual world. A world suspended between fantasy and reality, the factual and the bizarre. Ours is an immersive universe that blends surreal visuals, everyday experiences, and art references that all contribute to our distinctive signature style and aesthetic vocabulary. Importantly, we draw on our human experience. Our own journey of discovering ourselves contributes to the stories we seek to tell and therefore to our evolving aesthetic vocabulary.
What would you say are the key elements in that aesthetic vocabulary?
Striking colour palettes and carefully researched lighting. We build on our knowledge of art history, combining it with an innate inclination towards contemporary culture in all its forms. Through this, we seek to render visually aspects of contemporary society in an affective and thought-provoking way.
[Left] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘Vivi and Yonatan’ 2020 from the series ‘Us’
[Right] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘Topaz and Dolev’ 2021 from the series ‘Us’
The best known of your personal projects is simply called ‘Us’. How did this begin?
The project was inspired by our personal relationship, which blossomed during the Covid-19 lockdown. But it was also a way to move forward at a time when we had been struggling with feelings of being stuck and uninspired in our personal work.
What was it you wanted to capture in this work?
Our aim was to represent couples that are often overlooked by mainstream media – because they do not fit the stereotypical social norms in terms of gender, body image, disability, age, culture, and so on – making the invisible visible. For more than two years we photographed couples in their homes. What made this so special for us was the privilege of witnessing love, intimacy, and acceptance between these diverse couples. We felt very lucky, inspired… thankful for the opportunity to witness and celebrate each unique relationship through our photographs. We had an amazing experience working with all the couples we photographed. Some we stayed in touch with and have since become friends.
[Left] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘Nino and Olivia’ 2022 from the series ‘Us’
[Right] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘Merav and Amit’ 2021 from the series ‘Us’
Who are the people in these photographs?
We started with family and friends, later extending this to people we met on the street or through social media. Eventually, as this work became more widely known, people began approaching us asking to be a part of the project. All these people are simply real-life couples.
How do they respond to the final images?
The moment when they first see the finished photographs is always very special. We love to see their reaction. They’re always very excited and sometimes quite emotional to see themselves through our eyes.
What are some of the issues you consider when making intimate pictures like these?
We wanted to focus on the connection between the couples – to capture the intimacy and the togetherness. The setting and visualisation were kept simple, warm, natural. Skin was important. Clothing can intrude, emphasising social status or style of fashion, and we wanted this to be about a more fundamental humanity.
Sometimes we took a directorial role, suggesting a specific pose we had in mind. At other times we left the couple themselves the freedom to be with each other in whatever way they chose, perhaps making small adjustments along the way.
The key is communication, taking time, and getting to know them. We talk with each couple before the shoot. We explain the aims of the project and what we are looking for and they decide what they are comfortable with. As the shoot progresses, we keep checking how they feel. While we wanted to avoid overt social or fashion indicators, we were not, of course, always looking for nudity. That was up to the individuals themselves.
[Left] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘Illana’ 2021 from the series ‘Youth’
[Centre] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘Avraham and Isaac’ 2021 from the series ‘Youth’
[Right] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘Yegor’ 2021 from the series ‘Youth’
In 2021 you began a series called ‘Youth’…
This work celebrates authentic self-expression among adolescents by showcasing a range of faces and, in the process, personalities. We invited the participants into our studio. They brought their own clothes, choosing for themselves what they were to wear. We wanted to paint an authentic image of youth culture in its varied shapes and colours. The setting is neutral: white background, simple lighting, the framing is tight. There was no attempt to direct the pose; we simply asked each individual to be themselves in front of our lens. As the portraits demonstrate, the culture of young people is truly alive and well.
[Left] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘Topaz’ 2022 from the series ‘Tell Me Where Your Freedom Lies’
[Right] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘Lior’ 2022 from the series ‘Tell Me Where Your Freedom Lies’
In 2022, you began a series that asks a question: ‘Tell Me Where Your Freedom Lies’…
The work was made at locations across Tel Aviv, London, and Bristol, featuring people who are special to us. We chose to frame individuals of all ages and walks of life within the personal space they have created for themselves, preserving in the image that particular moment in their life.
What is it you seek to discover in the process of making these photographs?
The burgeoning selfhood of the people we photographed manifests itself in their choice of clothes and how they choose to present themselves. We know from our own experience that these small details are an integral part of youth culture. A way not only to make their developing identities legible to themselves but also to signal to others: to align themselves with movements, ideas, belief systems, through an external expression that reflects their internal landscape. This is not limited to the younger participants in this series. The older individuals share the same desire to be seen and to be represented as who they are.
[Left] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘Mariel Posing Next to Her Painting’ 2022 from the series ‘Tell Me Where Your Freedom Lies’
[Right] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘Nil and Karin’ 2022 from the series ‘Tell Me Where Your Freedom Lies’
How did you go about this?
In a society that keeps trying to put you in a certain box, it is sometimes the small acts of self-expression matter the most. We believe that all choices we make contribute to forging the person we are, whether consciously or unconsciously, and that’s what we wanted to show in this body of work – to offer a candid glance into their journey of self-discovery.
In the rush of everyday living important details are easily overlooked, but in a photo you have time to pause and reflect. A cryptic tattoo, a hand-made piece of clothing, an abstract painting… These are some of the simple elements that we were drawn to while creating ‘Tell Me Where Your Freedom Lies’. While the word freedom may evoke scenes of wide-open space, we chose rather to frame our subjects within four walls. The title is taken from the song ‘The Crystal Ship’ by The Doors. We felt that it captured this enduring search for self-expression and identity. And, much like the song, the series is characterised by a dreamy, tranquil atmosphere.
[Left] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘Hannah Holding Her Wig and Cane’ 2023 from the series ‘Proof of Existence’
[Right] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘Emmanuelle and Steve Playing Golf’ 2023 from the series ‘Proof of Existence’
What personal project are you working on now?
In 2022, we started a new, currently ongoing, project that we call ‘Proof of Existence’. In it we aim to combine contrasting themes: the fine line between reality and fantasy, the everyday and the edgy. Each image portrays one or more unique individuals with a strong personality – bizarre even – shot in an everyday location. The project is not limited to portraiture and will include still-lifes and landscapes that echo this bizarre atmosphere with over-the-top styling. Through this apparently paradoxical juxtaposition of subject and environment we want to emphasise the fine line between the staged and the documentary. But, importantly, we want to shine a light on the individual; to create a proof of existence for misfits, to normalise the bizarre.
Who are these fascinating individuals and where do you meet them?
Most belong to the Zebedee Inclusive Talent agency who represent people with visible difference, disability, and diverse gender identity. The creation of each images is a collaboration of different artistic professionals – designers, make-up artists, stylists, hair designers, and so on. Together we draw our inspiration from the models themselves. As with all our projects, we want to represent different ages, genders, body-types, ethnicities…
[Left] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘Destiny’ 2023 from the cover story for Iconic Artist magazine (autumn/winter issue)
[Right] © Rona Bar & Ofek Avshalom ‘Osh in the Neighbourhood Park’ 2023 for tmrw magazine (volume #46)
In today’s rapidly changing world, what advice would you give to a young photographer just starting out?
The whole point of creating a photograph – as with any form of artmaking – is about having something to say. Try to find your own voice. Try to understand what it is that you believe in, and what you feel about the world around you. Tell that story. Never try to tell someone else’s story… Of course, when photographing other people, you are a storyteller. Your images will speak about these people, but you should still speak with your own voice because this is also part of your story.
And when you find out what it is that you want to say, just hold on to it and never let go. It’s not enough to simply create images that are beautiful, they need to be authentically yours. Keep creating images that represent your voice, your vision. Even if it feels like you’re repeating the same thing over and over again, this is how you refine and develop your personal style. Only by doing this will you be able to discover your own visual signature and maybe create something that is original and new to the art world.
Biographical Notes
Rona Bar and Ofek Avshalom were both born in Israel in 1995. In 2018 they began working together under the partnership name of Fotómetro. In 2022 they moved to the United Kingdom, basing their practice in London. They have participated in six group exhibitions in Germany, Israel, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom. Widely published in magazines such as Dazed, i-D, Marie Claire, and Vogue, their work has also featured in four survey books. Their monograph ‘Us’ was published by Snap Collective, London, in 2022.
As a partnership, Rona Bar and Ofek Avshalom have garnered numerous accolades including two golds at the European Photography Awards (2022), winner of the Youthhood theme at the Life Framer Awards (2022), winner of the Portrait of Humanity award from the British Journal of Photography (2023), first place in the fashion section of the Independent Photographer Awards (2023), and winner of The Human Body theme at the Life Framer Awards (2023). Their work featured in the Taylor Wessing Award exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery in London (2023). They currently live and work in London.
This interview is a Talking Pictures original.