time, narrative and photography - rayan
 Rayan at first objected to stipulation we placed that the human form (particularly the face) not appear in the photographic exercises we assigned. She did not agree that this would be a worthwhile exercise and told us that photographs were meant to document people and their lives. Despite her resistance, Rayan was able to allude to the human subject, or point of view, without photographing the human form.
In the first example of her work, Rayan sought to express in five pictures the concerns of the displaced refugees from Naher al Bared. She chose to photograph the temporary houses the UN is planning for the former residents of the Naher al Bared refugee camp. These makeshift homes are to be placed as close as possible to the now-destroyed camp. Rayan said that she had tried to show through the photographs the fact that many of the displaced residents of Naher al Bared are (quite) unhappy with UNWRA's plans. Their displeasure is expressed through the seemingly abandoned feel of the photographs and the littler strewn within the thin walls of the portable homes.
Rayan's final project consists of three triptychs documenting three possible roads her life might take. As is clear, Rayan made much use of the timer function in her digital camera to take photographs of herself. In the first triptych, Rayan continues on her childhood dedication to her studies and in the future will graduate from college
The second possibility sees Rayan meeting a young man in college (played by Youssef) through a head on collision in the classroom. The couple marries, and continue their studies together in the future. The picture of the past in this second triptych is taken from the same series of that of the present in the first triptych, showing that time has passed between these two representations, and that what was the “present” in the first triptych is now the “past”.
The third and final possible future is more somber. Although she was content continuing her studies (the past) Rayan may have to sell her books (the present) and leave school in order to work and raise money because in the future a loved one will become ill and require expensive medicines.
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First project |
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Second project |
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Final project |
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