Gender based violence depicted through the lens
Dumisani Ncube | Friday December 2, 2016 18:00
The series of photographs dubbed ‘See What I See’ is being exhibited to the general public at various shopping centres such as Main Mall, Rail Park and African Mall.
The See What I See project comprises of 16 photographs with each dedicated to the respective days within the 16 days. The compilation has different photographs that depict various forms that of gender based violence.
Fifi who is a humanitarian enthusiast works on various photography projects that address social issues, “as a photojournalist I feel like the media does not address social issues that much as they prefer to put politics related story on the front page with social issues given less publicity. So I decided to work on such projects so people can talk more about them,” Fifi said.
With gender based violence being one of the social issues Fifi stated that by exhibiting the project it would give people the platform to discuss these issues more and find solutions that can curb them. “People are scared to talk about gender based violence issues. These are issues that we should discuss so we find a way of stopping such social ills,” she said.
Taking a closer look at the 16 photographs you get to see images of women that have been abused by their spouses. One such picture shows a woman with scars and a sealed mouth depicting that she has to stay silent. Another interesting image shows a woman dressed in a wedding gown standing inside an abandoned house.
Despite it being a project on gender based violence, the photojournalist had to use actors and direct the shoots. The photographs were shot in an artistic manner to draw emotions and send a message.
“I wanted to use subjects that are victims of gender based violence but this is a sensitive issue, so I took some of my friends that posed as models while I direct and did the whole shoot,” she explained.
The 28-year-old Fifi has partnered with Kagisano Women’s Shelter in exhibiting See What I See at various stalls that are set by the women’s shelter within the 16 days period, which started this week. Upon the end of the 16 days Fifi will donate the photographs to Kagisano Women’s Shelter.
As a photojournalist and a humanitarian enthusiast Fifi noted that she will carry on working on different photography projects that seek to address social related issues such as refugees plight.
“I do not only want to do gender based violence related photography but different themes that will help people engage and talk about these issues,” she said.
Prior to being a photojournalist, while she was still a varsity student in Malaysia, she volunteered in a United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees where she was teaching refugees how to speak English.