Mimo Khair in Syrian refugee camp/Photo: Shouly Kheir
By Patricia Caso/October 19, 2014
Mimo Khair’s
global photography struck me as stunning, emotional and captivating— whether it
is still life, on the streets, with children or adults. I happened upon her
unforgettable pictures while scrolling through different news sites on the
internet.
“I love
people and photographing them is for me a way of bringing us all closer
together… I strive to create art that can ‘do something’.”
Mimo Khair
Wanting to
know more about this talented Lebanese-American photographer, wife and mother
who now resides in Shanghai, China, I tracked down Mimo through email.
I found an
inspirational artist who is always looking to capture the connection in our
humanity, hoping the viewer is moved by it as well…
EYE: I read
that you grew up during the Civil War years in a small village in North
Lebanon. Did that experience play into what you look for in your street
photography and documentary photos?
MIMO: I think
we are a culmination of our life experiences from the moment of birth or even
conception. The first twelve years of life are, as we all know, very formative
and my early years still echo strongly in everything that I do.
Syrian refugee Reem, 9-years-old, lives in a camp in
North Lebanon. She lost both her parents in recent conflicts. “Love” is written
on her hand in Arabic and English, a reminder of hope in the middle of
darkness.
Growing up
during the civil war caused resilience in me as well as a renewed value for
life and all that is good in it. I am caught by moments of human emotion,
beauty, strength, sadness, humanity and love.
EYE: What
were you planning to do with your life before you went to New York City?
MIMO: In
Lebanon, girls were mostly expected to study, conform to rules of a
conservative society and take their back seat in a male-dominant world. As soon
as I reached adulthood in Lebanon I felt a very strong urge to break free from
a binding situation and to be able to express myself without the hammer of
judgment.
“Having an
American mother, I was lucky to have the option of moving to New York. I moved
against all odds and threw myself into a new, strange and fantastic world at
age 20.”
EYE: What
made you “pick up a camera” in 1995? And, what was your first photo?
MIMO: I came
upon an old Pentax camera during a trip to New Zealand. It felt like destiny
and I knew that I would be doing a lot with that beautiful piece of machinery.
My first photo was of Karekare’s black sand beach in New Zealand.
I went back
there last year and photographed my 10-year-old daughter, Lea, on the very same
beach.
“Where beauty gives you wings” by Mimo Khair of daughter
Lea, in Karekare, New Zealand
EYE: What
captured your imagination when you started taking pictures?
MIMO: My
first serious photography trip was in Egypt. It is safe to say that everything
there captivated me, from the pyramids and sphinx of Giza to the magnificent
temples and tombs, the beautiful Nile, the people, the light, the desert—all of
it really.
EYE: How do
you choose your subjects and do they always cooperate?
MIMO: When I
am in the street, I allow myself to react to the environment. I mostly do not
preplan my shots, but wait for situations to present themselves to me. It is a
very organic process and the subjects appear as the minutes unfold.
“I find that
a smile goes a very long way as well as warmth and a genuine interest in other
people’s lives.”
When you do
this for a long time, you become more and more sensitive to people and able to
sense who will be receptive to being photographed. I love people and
photographing them is for me a way of bringing us all closer together.
EYE: Why has
street photography become such a passion for you?
MIMO: The
subject, light, emotion, communication, composition, movement, and rhythm, are
some of the factors that can combine to create a wonderful image. It is
different each time, and this is what makes street photography such an amazing
style to explore.
“Thoughts washed out by the falling rain” by Mimo Khair
EYE: Your
captions are terrific. Is writing equally important to you?
MIMO: Yes. I
believe that words compliment the image and can impart another level to the
image that is personal to the photographer. I put it out without any
expectation of it to be accepted as part of the image, but it makes me happy to
combine the two forms of art.
Mimo on assignment/Photo: Andrea Keyrouz
EYE: You
conduct workshops. Do you have advice for aspiring photographers?
MIMO:
Teaching photography on a regular basis keeps me motivated to continue learning
myself. And, I love to see others getting inspired to break barriers in their
photographic journey.
The best
advice I can give is to do more and more of what you love.1 I tasked myself
with a 365 project, where I took photos and posted the best one from each day
with a small writing on my blog.
I did that
for two years and it was very instrumental in my discipline as a photographer.
I always advise people to try a discipline like that to get more hours of
experience built into their journey.
EYE: Can cell
phones be good for taking better than ordinary pictures? Is there any way to
take a good ‘selfie?’
MIMO: I
believe any camera is a good camera if you love what you are doing. The mobile
phone camera ensures that you always can practice your art no matter where you
are.
Some of the
images out there are stunning and very inspiring. I do enjoy creating ‘selfies’
in the way of image diary entries, especially reflection shots that can combine
the reflection with the environment to make a mosaic of impressions.
“If hands could speak” by Mimo Khair, photographed in
Yunnan, China
EYE: Do you
think a photograph can make more of an impact than a video or the written or
spoken word?
MIMO: A
photograph can make an impact very differently. I would not say more. I believe
that a photograph can act as an anchor point from which our imagination can
propel us into uncharted territories of the mind.
A video is
more of an usher that takes you on its predetermined journey. Similarly words hold your hand and take you
along. There is more mystery for me in an image. Like a painting or other
visual arts, it allows for a lot more mind exploration and dreaming.
EYE: What or
who inspires you?
MIMO: I
believe that inspiration comes from all forms of art and not just photography.
Sometimes when I am reading a book I find myself taking a note to create a
specific photograph. Cinematic lighting is most inspiring and I find myself
watching it repeatedly to learn about light.
“I am always
looking at the works of old and modern masters to try and see what they saw.”
Art is for me
an entity that moves between us all in all that we do, and the more we see, the
better we understand it.
EYE: In
traveling to some pretty remote and dangerous places, did you ever feel like
you were in danger? How do you prepare for those assignments?
MIMO: I think
that the most dangerous place I traveled to was the Democratic Republic of
Congo to interview child soldiers and street children. I had to be in an
armored car while in the streets and I was not free to walk the streets on foot
as I am used to.
“Boy soldier in Congo” who moved Mimo beyond words when
she heard his story and saw how art could start the healing process
It did feel
threatening at times, but I was completely immersed in the chase of my story
and images. That excitement certainly
overshadowed any sense of danger. The trip to Congo was hugely assisted by the
United Nations and I could not have done it in any other way.
I mostly
prepare in advance for a journey of this kind, but on some occasions, as I did
with the refugee camps in Lebanon, I just walked in on unassisted and on an
impulse.
Mimo photographed this lady from Yunnan with a Polaroid
camera and was fascinated by her reaction.
EYE: With
your travels far and wide and now that you are living in Shanghai, what have
you learned?
MIMO: I think
moving around the planet and meeting more and more people, observing different
cultures and customs has helped me see the human race in a different light.
We clothe our
conflicts with causes of religion, race, country and political agendas, but in
the end, people are people.
No matter
where I have been, there is a common thread of humanity that is so bright, no
amount of darkness can put it out.
EYE: What
common traits among people have you found?
MIMO: Simple
humanity. Kindness is the same everywhere you go; love between a parent and
child has many faces but it is the same at its core.
When I
capture a look in the eyes, a smile or an intense emotion, location becomes a
secondary consideration.
EYE: What has
been the biggest change in the world you’ve seen since you began your career?
MIMO: The
most striking change for me is how small the world has become and how much more
connected or disconnected we can all be inside of it. I think that art in
general and photography in particular have become widely accessible and, when
used correctly, can be powerful tools for making the world a better place.
“A frozen moment in the old alley” by Mimo Khair
EYE: Do you have
a mission with your photography?
MIMO: I
strive to create art that can ‘do something’. I believe that we humans are
meant to give expression to the essences of art in everything that we do and
that we love doing.
EYE: Do you
have a favorite story about any one of your pictures? Which was your most
difficult picture to get so far?
MIMO: One of
my favorite stories has to do with a Polaroid photograph I took of an old lady
from the Yi minority in Yunnan. I photographed her and gave her the image, but
she kept returning it to me with a nod and a smile.
After several
attempts and a translation, I found out that she had no idea that the photo was
hers. She had actually no idea or interest in knowing what she looked like. I
found that stunning to realize in this day and age of compulsive selfies.
I can’t think
of images that were difficult, but perhaps images of sadness or misery. I
always tend to back away from and opt not to display the misfortune of others
for the sake of my art unless I can manage to show the positive side of
humanity that is hidden in the image.
“A frozen moment in the old alley” by Mimo Khair
EYE: What are
your current and future photo projects?
MIMO: I am
researching the ethnic minorities of China currently, and I plan to take
several more trips to complete my project.
I dream of
taking long photographic journeys into uncharted territories, having the luxury
of spending months rather than weeks, creating beautiful books that combine
writing and imagery woven together to tell a tale.
EYE: Have you
taken your best picture yet?
MIMO: No. I
will keep searching for it till the end.
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