TITLE: Behind the Veil

This project is rooted in a childhood memory… A woman walks down the street wearing a full-length veil covering all but her face. A gust of wind parts the veil to reveal a mini-skirt. The flash of bare legs against the black veil is striking and mysterious: Is she being modest in public, while free to wear a mini-skirt in private? Or is she rebelliously revealing glimpses of her legs, expressing her sexuality despite the constraints placed on her?

These images explore the tension between the imposition of the veil and the natural expressiveness of the body. The relationship between veil and body is inverted: The traditional veil covers the body, showing only the face; here the face is covered, obliterating her individuality. Her only outlet for expression is her body.

« Derrière un voile, invisible et pourtant présent, j'étais l'âme puissante qui déplaçait ce corps puissant. »
(“Behind a veil, unseen yet present, I was the forceful soul that moved this powerful body.”)
— Racine

AUTHOR: Saman Majd (United States)

Born in Iran, I grew up in an itinerant family, living in North America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Changing countries and schools every couple of years, I finally settled in the United States and became a citizen.