“A Girl & Her Room”

“Christilla, Rabieh, Lebanon, 2010” by Rania Matar (courtesy of Carroll and Sons, Boston and the artist)

One of my favorite gifts has always been photography books and this Christmas I was delighted to receive several that I adore.  I noticed quickly that none was more pored over by family and visitors – male or female, young or old – than Rania Matar’s award-winning* “A Girl and Her Room” (Umbrage Editions, 2012).  Matar’s fascinating topic and sensitive execution explain why.  In detailed color photographs taken between 2009-2011, Matar plumbs a period fraught with uncertainty, the transition from girlhood to womanhood.  Her explorations occur in the most private and personal space of a teenager’s own construction, her bedroom, as well as across diverse socioeconomic backgrounds and two cultures, Arab and American.

“Siena, Brookline, MA, 2009” by Rania Matar (courtesy of Carroll and Sons, Boston and the artist)

Personal particulars and cultural differences abound, but the overwhelming feeling is one of commonality.  Each of these young women is wrestling with universal questions of identity in a struggle to define herself and her future.  Often, their rooms reveal the trappings of youth – colored brightly and strewn with childhood mementos – boast souvenirs of current relationships and display emblems of an idealized future.  These photographs are as intriguing as a compelling detective novel, each teen providing hints and clues to her inner motivations and secret dreams.

“Stephanie, Beirut, Lebanon, 2010” by Rania Matar (courtesy of Carroll and Sons, Boston and the artist)

One of the most pleasing features of Matar’s work is its tone.  The young women on their home turf appear relaxed and honest, if sometimes slightly apprehensive, but they are never cloying or put-on.  This is a clear reflection of the openness and respect with which Matar enters into her collaboration with each subject.  She deftly balances the dense content of her images with inventive compositions that place each girl at their center.  The result is riveting.  Matar’s creative synergy of aesthetic and emotional content propels her work into the poetic realm, revealing fresh truths with every reading.

“Zoe, Newton, MA, 2009” by Rania Matar (courtesy of Carroll and Sons, Boston and the artist)

*”A Girl and Her Room” has been named Best Book of 2012 by Feature Shoot, PhotoEye, Le Journal de la Photographie, and PDN.

Six photographs of Arabian girls are featured in the “She Who Tells A Story” exhibit at Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, running through January 12, 2014, and in the MFA exhibit catalog.  Both books are available through the MFA, Boston bookstore.