From HAJJI © Raafae Ghory
Last March, Raafae Ghory, a senior in the NYU Tisch Department of Photogrpahy & Imaging, traveled to Saudi Arabia to perform the Umrah, one of two pilgrimages in Islam in which one travels to two of the religion’s holiest cities: Mecca and Medina. He documented his journey through prayer and reflection in images exploring the effects of globalized capitalism and his personal struggle with the complexities of faith.
This body of work, titled “Hajji,” is the basis of his thesis and was published recently in Document Journal. In Raafae's own words:
"Growing up in New Jersey in the 21st century, I had a difficult time building a connection to a history-old religion, and so I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect on my journey to the Kaaba. I figured I would use my camera as a way to actively look, to understand the historical roots of this holy land, and interpret my position as both an insider and an outsider among the brothers and sisters also on their pilgrimage."
Meet Raafae and view his and his classmates' work at the Senior Show One opening on Wednesday, January 29, 2020 from 6-8pm at 721 Broadway.