Figen
Figen
Figen
By Céline van Balen
Figen
Figen
Figen
Figen is a portrait of a Muslim girl. Her gaze penetrates the camera. The black background focuses all attention onto the girl’s face and headscarf. The crème-coloured scarf bears a motif in the same colour blue as the girl’s eyes. This intensifies the emphasis on the eyes. Figen is part of a series of portraits of Muslim girls. ‘These portraits are the result of a personal quest. I wanted to examine who these girls are. So I went to a mosque and an Islamic girls’ school and asked if I could photograph them. I decided on girls as they have no choice. They do what their parents tell them to. Even so, they are all individuals under the headscarf. All unique personalities. That’s what I wanted to show.’