WHITE DRESS, WRONG THOUGHTS

EVEN A PHOTO OF A GIRL IN A WHITE DRESS PLAYING ON THE GAZA BEACH CAN BE OPEN TO MISINTERPRETATION… Tanya says she can’t help but reflect upon her audience when showing her work because of people’s different perspectives. For example, while driving along the Gaza coast one morning, she stopped her car after spotting a “stunning little girl in this magic white dress running on the beach”. She met the child’s father and found out the family had been to a wedding the night before. “So they dressed up, and if you’re lucky enough to be close to the groom or bride, you get to wear lovely dresses!” Unsurprisingly, the girl wanted to dress up again when the family went down to the beach. Having gained permission, Tanya took her photos. “I was careful because in my mind I was thinking there are going to be those who see this girl in a white dress, and just because she’s a Palestinian they’re going to assume she’s a child bride.”