Paili

Talhy Stotzer

Paili is part of a portrait series that investigates the representation of Hijra in Bangladesh. The Hijra, also known as the ‘third gender, have existed for centuries in the Indian subcontinent, yet they are severely marginalised from Bangladeshi society. At the time these images were taken, the majority of Hijra in Bangladesh had been excluded from the most recent census because they did not fit into the approved categories, and many were therefore rendered invisible. During a five-week field trip, Talhy collaborated with Hijra from two communities on the outskirts of the capital city, Dhaka, inviting community members to take self-portraits with a remote cable. By taking self-portraits, the Hijra in Talhy’s work chose how they wanted to represent themselves. Individual stories of struggle and survival were also recorded as part of the project. The selected photographic work challenges existing representations of Hijra, which are often sensationalised and sexualised. The series contributes to contemporary reflections on the power of photographic portraiture to call into question established social hierarchies by negotiating control through participant consent and self-portraiture. Paili was selected for the 12th IRIS award, held by Perth Centre of Photography (PCP) and exhibited at the PCP gallery in Northbridge. PCP is Western Australia’s premier photo-media gallery and every two years hosts the IRIS Award, an important platform and incubator for non-traditional portraiture in Australia. The committee, according to Gallery Coordinator Christine Tomas, seeks “artistic excellence, conceptualism, and image quality.” Talhy was a selected finalist in this national award for unique and outstanding portraiture in a photo-based medium.

Paili

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