Clémence Polès Farhang's Exhibition: A Portrait of Immigrant Womanhood

Clémence Polès Farhang's exhibition, titled *Can I come over and take your picture?*, is currently being showcased at the New York gallery Slip House. This exhibition marks a decade of her project, Passerby, which focuses on the experiences of immigrant women through a photographic and oral archive. The collection features over 200 photographs accompanied by quotes from interviews with the subjects, highlighting their diverse backgrounds and personal stories.

The Guardian

Polès Farhang, who immigrated to New York City, initiated Passerby to explore womanhood and challenge the internalized misogyny she experienced in her upbringing. Her mother, an Iranian immigrant, held complex views on femininity, advocating for women's autonomy while simultaneously enforcing traditional expectations. This duality influenced Polès Farhang's artistic vision, prompting her to use photography as a medium to reframe narratives around women, particularly those from immigrant backgrounds.

The Guardian

The exhibition features portraits of women like Huong Dodinh, who fled Vietnam as a child and faced cultural dislocation in France, and Rose, a Mexican immigrant who left her children behind to seek a better life in New York. Each story reflects the struggles and triumphs of navigating new environments while maintaining a connection to their roots. For instance, Dodinh recalls the stark contrast between her lush homeland and the bare trees of Paris, while Rose recounts her arrival in a snowstorm, emphasizing her determination to provide for her family.

The Guardian

Other notable figures include Shirin Neshat, an Iranian artist who experienced isolation during her studies in the U.S. amid the Iranian Revolution, and Isabel Sandoval, a filmmaker from the Philippines who grapples with identity politics in her work. Their narratives underscore the complexities of immigrant experiences, revealing how displacement shapes personal and artistic identities.

The Guardian

Polès Farhang's work challenges the prevailing narratives surrounding immigration, which often frame it as a crisis to be managed. She emphasizes the importance of portraying immigrants as individuals who contribute to society through art and community building. The exhibition aims to shift the focus from movement and borders to the rich, multifaceted lives of immigrant women, showcasing their resilience and creativity.

The Guardian

While the exhibition has been praised for its artistic merit and social commentary, some critics argue that it may inadvertently reinforce the notion of the "noble immigrant" trope, which can simplify the complexities of individual experiences. This perspective highlights the need for a nuanced understanding of immigration that goes beyond romanticized narratives.

The Guardian

• “I turned my upbringing’s fixation with appearance into a sensitivity in my work. What happens when you meet it with curiosity rather than judgment?” — Clémence Polès Farhang

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• “My kids are the motor that keeps me going every single day.” — Rose, Mexican immigrant

The Guardian

• “Whatever Iranian that stayed in me is very deep.” — Shirin Neshat

The Guardian

• “I think, looking from the outside, people might assume that I am much more social.” — Ana Kraš

The Guardian

Polès Farhang's exhibition not only celebrates the stories of immigrant women but also invites viewers to reconsider the narratives surrounding immigration, emphasizing the importance of empathy and understanding in a complex world.

The Guardian