During Robert Evans’ tour of the exhibition for the Roundtable on May 30th a common thread united audience questions and comments: access. How did the photographer, Stephanie Sinclair, have access to these marriages? This is especially relevant considering a number of the marriages Sinclair documented, as is the case with Rajani age 5 (India), were held under cover of darkness for fear of being discovered by the authorities, as the practice of child marriage is illegal in many countries. However, far from being a deterrent, this simply forces communities to be secretive about their participation in the traditional practice. How was Sinclair able to capture these moments? How was she able to get close enough to capture a just-woken Rajani, arms around her uncle, face half-hidden by her clothing, as she is carried to her wedding ceremony in the middle of the night?
In an interview published in Paris Match this past September, Sinclair was asked whether she has encountered any problems taking her photographs, considering their -oftentimes- controversial nature . Her response acknowledges that yes, she has encountered difficulties, especially following their exhibition which, combined with both the ease and prevalence of the internet, has led to the images popularity and widespread distribution. She concedes that her access to communities where child marriage occurs has decreased since she began photographing the issues in 2003 because, she states, “Now, the images have invaded the planet. If I do not pay great attention, my pictures can move and end up where I took them. If they are published by a local newspaper, sent over the Internet, it can be a terrible humiliation for the people concerned.” [Translated from the original French]
Further comments from the attendees of the Roundtable broached the topic of Sinclair’s race and gender. Does being both female and white prove beneficial in her attempts to capture this practice? Would a male have the same access?
Although I do not have answers for these questions, they beg consideration.
My next post will discuss a related issue: identity protection of the children photographed.