Project - Be'er Lahai Roi

This project title comes from a story in the bible. Abraham’s wife Sarah is barren & past child bearing years, over 90, so she decides to have her handmaid, Hagar, pinch hit as was a custom in this time to give Abraham a child for her. Hagar and Abraham brought Ishmael into the world and Hagar lorded this over Sarah, at least Sarah felt so, and in a jealous fit sent Hagar and her son out in to the wilderness where they had no hope of surviving. As Ishmael languished without water in the heat of the desert Hagar lost hope and, unable to watch him die, left him in the shade of a bush. She was waiting some ways away for his crying,and his life, to end when the angel of God returned and told her to go to her son, that God had seen her situation and if she would dig in a particular spot, she would find water. Hager dug and named resulting well Be’er L’hai Roi, roughly, ‘the god who see’s me.’ This story resonates, raising the question, why is it important for humans to be ‘seen,’ in all the connotations the word has.

I moved to Seattle knowing no one and engaged in a job search which is a process, by and large, in which you reach out and are ignored 90% of the time. I walked the city quite a lot, and with no car to insulate me was face to face with the large homeless population in Seattle. Particularly, the young women disturbed my peace of mind. These were my neighbors and fellow citizens essentially, but I found myself wearing invisible race-horse style blinders. Avoiding eye contact, avoiding seeing, a constant factor that I didn’t like this about my day. I am someone who looks people in the eye and says good day, to strangers and acquaintances alike, but I was becoming blind as well as invisible. At what point would I cease to be, like that tree that falls unheard in the forest.

An opportunity to address this issue came through a contest for photographers reporting on women’s issues. I set aside trepidation and isolationist inclinations and approached young women who appeared to be living on the street. I described my project and asked if I could photograph them. Though some of them shared their stories, I didn’t ask for this and don’t intend to share what I was told. Absence of a home with walls and doors doesn’t negate the right to privacy. I did ask for their own definition for their situation, traveling, homeless, etc, names, and statics. What they generously shared, and what I offer a viewer are their portraits, and if eyes are truly windows into the soul, what more could you need?