By: Saira Thadani
Charney Magri photographed 100 women for her book, Women of the UAE. But rather than searching for models, Charney discovered beauty in all women across the nation, from waitresses to grandmothers to housemaids to executives and even mothers. Her book aims to showcase a defining cultural and artistic snapshot of this important period of development in the UAE.
Charney’s book is all about “inner beauty, strength of character and whatever it is that drives the women who live there to make a significant contribution to the progress of the nation.” Elan spoke with her to gain a deeper understanding of the depth of her unique and heartfelt project.
Elan: Tell us a little about your book, Women of the UAE. Why did you choose to focus on the women of the UAE as opposed to those in any other country?
Charney Magri: I am originally from Australia. Throughout my whole life I have always loved and studied art and have been recognized by many awards for my gift. After graduating from university with a BA in Design (majoring in photography) I left my hometown (Perth) and headed for London.
I focused my attention on working with the best in my industry: on the art desk as a Designer for British Vogue followed by an assistant to world renowned Fashion Photographer Nick Knight – both of whom I called independently every week for two years, just to get in the door! (yes, this is true!). After working with influential names, I walked away overwhelmed, not knowing where to start and how I would make a difference in my own career.
In 2008 I left London, in need to defrost, and moved to Dubai! Before I arrived I had many preconceptions about the region, all of which were heavily influenced by the media. But after being in Dubai for a short period, I realized that these preconceptions were misconceptions. But I wasn’t the only one believing the same thoughts. Each time I left the UAE (usually for a holiday in the western world) I was asked the same questions like ‘What is the UAE like? What are you allowed to wear? Are you allowed to drive?’ and so they went on. It became apparent there was a need for cross-cultural understanding, an opportunity to educate parts of the world on how the women in the UAE are paving the way for the rest of the Middle East and to share my positive experience to more than just the people around me.
Elan: You mentioned that while working for stellar clients, such as Vogue, you began to think about what made models icons of beauty. Why do you think it’s important to find this beauty in “those contributing to the region”?
CM: My project is a celebration of the inner beauty and contribution of the women in the UAE, both Emirati and expatriate, with emphasis on finding the hidden gems or ‘unsung songs’.
I think it is important to find beauty in all people, not just those contributing to the region where I am based. Too often we forget to acknowledge even the smallest of hurdles we face in life, which is why Women of the UAE celebrates all women, from all walks of life allowing us to be publicly proud of who we are and what we have achieved.
Elan: How do you think “Women of the UAE” will serve as a time capsule for the region?
CM: After being here for a short while, I was pleasantly surprised at how the Women in the UAE are actually at the forefront of their neighboring countries, how progressive the women are, their level of education and more often than not now, bilingual. It is important to know where we come from, it helps us learn from our mistakes and grow as humans.
If I can provide an accurate time capsule that shows the region in a positive light for us to look back on in time, then I am halfway there to fulfilling my goal of facilitating cross-cultural understanding.
Elan: What kinds of things were you looking for as you selected 100 women from over 400 applicants?
CM: In the beginning I asked friends, friends of friends and spread the word through networking groups. My PR agency then contacted daily, weekly and monthly publications to publish the invitation for women to register themselves, their sisters, wives, mums, daughters, grandmothers and friends etc. for the project. The first women I photographed were all extensions of what I initially connected with and what I felt would resonate with women throughout the world. Then there was Shimi Shah, who is a serial entrepreneur of whom I immediately had great respect for her achievements, and her achievements as a woman. I also felt very close to a story by a lady named Shifah who arrived in the UAE with $2 in her back pocket, had no job or home to live in (Shifah is now proudly married, assists in supporting her 2 sons and lives in a lovely home). Each of these women’s stories I felt very close to in my heart, one way or another. It was the starting point for the following selections to be made.
Elan: How would you describe the style of these photographs? What prompted you to select this specific style? Did you run into any complications with sticking to it?
CM: My photographs of all of the women are as natural as possible. I kept all retouching to a minimum and only color corrected the images to feel more feminine.
I decided at the beginning of the project that each photograph would be on either a plain black, white or grey background and would not show any details of their respective homes / offices etc. I did this so the image would focus more on the woman’s inner beauty and not her materialistic values which would have been a distraction for the viewer.
Elan: Were there any cultural issues that came into play in the production of the project? How were you able to work around them?
CM: Some women are either not allowed to be photographed or agreed to be photographed so long as their face did not show. I used this as an open invitation to exercise my creative license in a different way. There are also 4 women who I did not photograph and they have been represented by text only in the book.
Elan: What do you hope the book will accomplish in the Middle East? How do you think it would do so?
CM: To create a first of its kind book that explains the evolution of the female role in the UAE combined with visually striking imagery which appeals to a local, regional and international audience. I want both Emirati’s and expatriates to feel proud to own a copy of my book, to share it with their friends / family / visitors and use it as a visual reference for Women in the UAE.
Elan: How do you think this book has impacted/will continue to impact the world’s perception of women in the UAE?
CM: By giving a true, contemporary representation of Women in the UAE, sharing stories that resonate globally on their achievements, hurdles overcome, goals reached and dreams fulfilled. When we take away our outer shell, we soon realize that we are all the same on the inside.
To purchase your copy of the Women of the UAE or to find out more / follow the author please visit:
http://facebook.com/womenoftheuae
http://twitter.com/charneymagri
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