The Beauty In Imperfection

Featuring Ofer Dabush Words by Nastasia Khmelnitski

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Ofer Dabush is an Israeli photographer currently based in Tel Aviv. His photo book, Cars (2022), was recently presented in the exhibition at Artport, a center for art, residency, and gallery space in Tel Aviv. We decided to interview Ofer and learn more about the photo book and Tel Aviv Nude Calendar (2023). We speak with Ofer about the shift in the themes of interest from people and their connection to nature that created a dream-like feeling to focusing on cinematic semi-staged semi-documentary frames. As Ofer explains, “Suddenly, a lot of black appeared in my images, which came as a new element as a result of using different angles to capture from both inside and outside the car, which added a cinematic feel to my work.” This shift in focus also changed the perception of the characters from an almost metaphorical, faceless body that comes as a natural part of the environment to the person with their story filling the frame, gazing straight at the camera and connecting with the viewer.

In this interview, we discuss how this shift affected Ofer's approach to photography, igniting a different kind of interest in the subject. In addition, we ponder on another important theme in Dabush’s work, which is nudity and the emphasis on diversity and acceptance through the physical body. The boundaries of what can be accepted or the taboo around the naked body is challenged through the tight connection created between the body and nature, re-training the eye to admire and recognize the beauty of the body, of any body, removing any possibility of the feelings of shame. 

Artport Art Book Fair

Hi Ofer, how are you doing? How did the book fair event, a collaboration of Magasin III Jaffa Books and Artport, go for you?

Hi Nastasia, it’s a pleasure talking to you. This is the second year I'm taking part in the Artport Art Book Fair. It was amazing to see such a great variety of rare books in one place. I am a collector of books and I love making them: the design and curating process is a big part of my practice. I published my first monograph, Park Ha’Horshot, two years ago in 2021, which sold out quite quickly. In book fairs, my work is exposed to a different crowd which is usually younger generations. However, last year, a famous painter, around 90 years old, bought my Studio book and it’s a good feeling to know such an established artist likes my work.

‘I had a camera from a young age, but I was never one of those who had it in their pocket at any given moment. It wasn't embedded in me.’

My Story

Looking back, what are the critical milestones in your career as a photographer or the most impactful decisions you made that allowed you to keep going and develop in this complex sphere? 

I had a camera from a young age, but I was never one of those who had it in their pocket at any given moment. It wasn't embedded in me. I grew up in a world of music creation, but after a long period and a creative block, I encountered the world of photography through Instagram and Tumblr in a way I had not known before. I discovered a new world. At first, I was shooting with an iPhone 4, then I decided to take it a step further and buy my first camera. 

I had this inner drive to create all the time, and I think I realized that I could make a beautiful, dreamy, and intimate world with people I don't know. Something happens in the process — it's like going on an adventure together when you don't know the outcome. I love meeting new people, and I find it interesting from a personal perspective as well. These encounters of specific moments add something special to life. Success for me is doing work that excites me and seeing that others are excited by it as well. It's an amazing feeling that gives me the desire to continue.

‘The images from the book Cars look more like a scene in a movie. It’s an intimate moment to be present and document the frame. Of course, there is some directing, but it feels more like a real moment in time, when the car provides additional context.’

Cars

Let’s discuss your photo book Cars that was presented at Artport. The images you selected for the book are mainly from your 2021 road trip in Israel, in which you focused on cars as the central location for the narrative to unfold. What were some of the highlights of working on this project, and what did you learn in the process?  

After a long time spent driving all around the country, for hours and hours, I started to see the frames in the windows and car mirrors. Suddenly, a lot of black appeared in my images, which came as a new element as a result of using different angles to capture from both inside and outside the car, which added a cinematic feel to my work.

In the past, I photographed primarily people and nature, presenting them in a way that appeared detached from reality, almost like a fantasy or a dream, with a sculptural or pictorial quality. However, the images from the book Cars look more like a scene in a movie. It’s an intimate moment to be present and document the frame. Of course, there is some directing, but it feels more like a real moment in time, when the car provides additional context. In the beginning, my pictures were about the presence of the body and nature, communicating one with the other, sometimes transforming into something else. Now, they have taken on a more documentary feel.

‘The gaze of the models toward the camera and the viewer was very important to me. There’s a sense of empowerment: the models know what they are doing and are in control.’

Tel Aviv Nude Calendar 2023

The main theme present in your work is the nude body and its relation to nature. There is a merge of portraits and landscapes, suggesting a deeper link and connection between the subjects. How does the process of working on a calendar go, from the conception to the final selection of the images and print? 

Sometimes, when I print my work, I discover new things and connections between the images. In the photograph of March in the Calendar, the person in one of the images saw he had a tribal-like tattoo on his shoulder created by games of light and shadows and on his wrist as well. He told me, "I got what you were trying to convey." I actually never saw this or thought about it before hearing it from him. I didn’t say much at that moment but thought to myself that it’s an interesting perspective. 

Almost all the models featured in the Calendar were people I had previously photographed. It was easier to start when we already had a connection, and the models felt comfortable with the process. The gaze of the models toward the camera and the viewer was very important to me. There’s a sense of empowerment: the models know what they are doing and are in control. I like to empower people in my work. I want them to look strong.

Going back to your question, it’s a process that changes a lot. It begins by carefully selecting the right people and a location. The moment of making an image is so flexible and changes so much. I tend to move a lot, sometimes forgetting about the initial idea and finding something that intrigues me while shooting. It could be that I arrive at a planned location, and then something catches my eye that requires going in a different direction. There is something unplanned. I think this is when magic happens. The unexpected can also come from models when they do things that were not planned. 

I'm photographing, and then I'm selecting the best four and then I start all over again. Then I take all the pictures and place them on my studio table or floor. I normally shoot a lot, so there is a lot of curating and finding what feels right. This is a very long process: it takes time to decide what will be printed, which has to do with colors, location, facial expressions, etc.

For many years, the body was associated with nature in my works. A face was not always present, so there was no connection to a specific figure. There was only body, nature, a feeling of liberation, and fantasy. At some point, I started to get tired of closeups and crops. I still like it, but I needed something else — a personal connection with the subject looking directly into the camera, a powerful presence liberated without fear in central spots in the city. I want an image so beautiful that it cancels any taboo associated with it.

Nudity is taboo in our society. I am obsessed with the body in all of its forms. I love all types of bodies: raw, smooth, rough, muscular, and heavy. I don’t care about socioeconomic status. I photograph everybody. I learn so much about life through photography: good experiences, and bad experiences. I am learning a lot about myself and other people, about sexuality and self-acceptance, the beautiful and the ugly, and the beauty in imperfection.

eCom

Something noticeable about your approach comes from the decision to design a website that is very eCom oriented on sales of the book, calendar, prints, and merch. What is success for you as a photographer living and working in Tel Aviv and how does it shape your strategy developing your career? 

I decided to take matters into my own hands and be my own boss, making all the decisions related to advertising my brand, my works, book designs, curation, and publishing. I have the freedom to do what I want without supervision. I am a one-man brand, and I have the internet in my hands.

A Sneak Peek

What project/s are you currently working on, and what should we expect next in terms of themes you’re developing? 

I like to put my work out there when it's ready and when I feel it's ready to be shared and seen. Maybe it's also a little early to talk about my next project, as I'm currently trying to introspect. We will have to live and see what the future holds.