I found the power of ones' belief fascinating. As a result of a persons' faith one might find himself in the most unusual circumstances in which he would never otherwise be. On one hand people find comfort and sense of belonging to a public sharing the same set of beliefs, but on the other, people loose their identity and follow leaders setting the path to confrontation in the name of faith. Not following any religion myself, I am constantly continuing my examination of the ways beliefs are created, followed and used.
Demonstrating the better sides as well as the intimidating aspects of belief is done through a collection of moments and situations. During the last 5 years I photographed different groups of followers taking part in ceremonies, demonstrations, gatherings & confrontations. â?? The holy Fire ceremony in the holy Sepulcher church, Lag Ba'Omer celebrations on Mt. Meiron, the evacuation of Amona, Baptism in the Jordan River etc. The works try to place the viewer almost inside the picture allowing a sense of 'feeling' the situation. The resemblance as well as differences is striking. Energy Vs. Tranquility; Ecstasy Vs. Anger; Part of the crowd Vs. Private moments.
Natan Dvir is a photographer who focuses on the human aspects of political, social, and cultural issues. He received his MFA in Photography from the School of Visual Arts (NY), after which he became an adjunct faculty member at the ICP. Based in Tel Aviv he is represented by Polaris Images agency and Anastasia Photo gallery. Natan's main projects were exhibited in solo and group exhibitions in the United States, Europe, South America, Asia, Australia, and Israel. His work has been published by numerous international magazines and has received recognition winning prizes around the world.
Awards Picture of the Year Award (POYi), Photo District News (PDN) Annual, American Photography Award, International Photography Award (IPA), Prix de le Photographie Paris (Px3), New York Photography Festival Award, Critical Mass top 50, and the Picture of the Year Award in the Israeli press.
