Description

Olivia Arthur’s work concerns the issue of women and their role in society, particularly within Middle Eastern countries. Here, she captures a couple photographing themselves on their mobile phone in front of the Caspian Sea in Iran in 2007.

 

Photography is about being patient. I'm quiet, I watch the situation. I let things happen and photograph them when they happen; that's my approach

Olivia Arthur
© Olivia Arthur | Magnum Photos

Olivia Arthur was born in London and grew up in the UK. She studied mathematics at Oxford University and photojournalism at the London College of Printing and began working as a photographer in 2003 after moving to India, where she was based for two and a half years.

She is known for her in-depth photography examining people and their personal and cultural identities. “For me, part of the power of still photography is the ambiguousness of pictures, the ability to give a hint about a scene or event without being too absolute,” says Arthur.

Her work has been exhibited internationally and has been included in institutional collections in the UK, USA, Germany and Switzerland.

© Olivia Arthur | Magnum Photos

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