Connecting with Humanity: An Interview with Daro Sulakauri

Daro Sulakauri is a photojournalist who has dedicated her work to covering social issues in her home country Georgia. She talks to Lomography about her beginnings as a photographer, how her identity as a Georgian shapes her work, and an ongoing project on early marriage called “Deprived of Adolescence.”

What does analogue photography mean to you?

I started photography with an analogue camera. My very first camera was a Konica T4, which belonged to my grandfather. I remember the light meter never worked, so I had my notebook and a pen to write down the aperture and exposure settings I used on every frame. After looking at the contact sheet, I would see if I got it right or not. That is how I learned the exposure triangle. Sometimes the screws would become loose on the lens mounting, so I always carried a screwdriver with me to tighten the screws on the camera whenever needed. It was a fun experience as a kid, because I learned how to use my camera well. At that point, I put my T4 away and started shooting with a Leica M6.

What are the differences between analogue and digital for you? What advantages does analogue photography have for you over digital?

Working with analogue cameras taught me things I think I would have never had the chance to learn if I had started out with digital cameras. This is a very personal experience and I am sure every person has a different opinion, but for me, I became a thinker. It made me think a lot. When I took the film to develop, I had all these questions in my head: Did I use the right exposure or the right aperture? Did I frame it right? I debated in my head; I imagined how the photograph would look like. I feel like it unconsciously made me grow as a photographer. And even though I use digital cameras all the time now because I need my photos ASAP for my work as a photojournalist, I absolutely love my 35mm lens. I still feel that nothing can replace film, its depth and the feeling you get, so true and real. You will not get that from any digital camera, at least not at the moment.

When do you still use analogue cameras?

Whenever I have the funding for it. It is an expensive joy to shoot analogue. I want to do my next project on film, so let’s see what happens, I still have couple of films left from Kodak, so I suppose I shall start with that.

You studied cinematography before studying photojournalism in New York. How did that shape your work as a photographer?

Well, we had a professor who would literally lock us up in a classroom every day, leaving us film cassettes of seven to eight classic movies. He would not let us go home and until we had watched every single one. You could see his eye peeking through the tiny keyhole, checking what we were up to. It was insane. But I can say I watched all the marvelous films during my time at university. I had also enrolled at Sepia School of Photography. We had one teacher in photography and one guy who taught us how to develop film. Everything I learned in photography was from this one tiny school in Tbilisi.

Now that years have gone by, I realize more and more how incredible the program was. I feel like my teacher from Sepia School has played a major role in my photography. Though what really shaped my work as a photographer were my parents. My dad taught me to draw, and how to work with color. Their work—my dad’s paintings and my mom’s appliqués—was and still is a big influence for me. They are incredible teachers who make beautiful pieces of art.

Tell us more about the story you would like to tell with Deprived of Adolescence. What are you trying to achieve with this project and your work in general?

I won a portrait prize awarded by the Human Rights House Network in London. As a winner I had to send a project which they were willing to fund. After some research with the GCRT (Georgian Centre for Psychosocial and Medical Rehabilitation of Torture Victims) in Tbilisi, I found out that there are many cases of early marriages in Georgia. I already knew about it before, but I had no information that it was statistically one of the countries with the highest rate of early marriage in Europe. After going to a wedding in a small village and observing the bride and the groom, I decided that this story needs to be told. I want to tell this story from a certain perspective; that, on the one hand, there are girls who are happy with their decision to marry young, and that, on the other, there are traumatic and sad [stories]. After graduating from ICP in New York, I decided to come back to my country and depict the conflict-ridden lives of people.

I want people to see from my photographs what it’s like for others living in different regions. I believe when you look at a photograph it can be a wake-up call in a certain way. Sometimes we forget to connect with humanity and when you see what’s going on in other people’s lives, it gives awareness, which leads to change.

How did you first get interested in covering social issues?

Growing up I witnessed the civil war in the 90s. Living right in the center of the city, political demonstrations and the revolution happened right in front of my house. I was used to conflict situations. Photographing the people of the Caucasus whose lives were sacrificed to the constant conflicts, I feel closely connected to my subjects.

It seems, photography is a way for you to explore your own identity as a Georgian citizen. How do you see that?

I feel like I am exploring patches of my country, trying to raise awareness about specific topics which citizens who live here and elsewhere have never explored or discussed. There are so many interesting stories to tell in Georgia and yet very few who do it.

You work as a photojournalist. One of the principles of journalism in general is objectivity. Do you adhere to that? What role do objectivity and subjectivity play in your work?

I truly don’t believe in objectivity, I think it doesn’t exist. Everything is subjective. When I photograph something it will always be my point of view, because I am photographing it, but as a photojournalist I tell a story closest to the truth, I am honest to the subject I am documenting. It is very important to be truthful.

Your project Deprived of Adolescence was honored with several nominations and awards by the international audience. How did the people at home react to your work? How did you want them to react?

One of the photographs I showed to the Georgian public a year ago was a photo of a 17-year-old at her wedding, having only met her soon–to–be husband, in his mid-twenties, on the day of their engagement. Tears dropped from her eyes as she was dancing in front of her house. The dance demonstrated a farewell to her family before the wedding ceremony. When placing this photograph on social media, I got a big response from the public. The greatest opposers of the work were ethnic minority groups, demanding the photo be taken down. Yet, the photo had created a framework or platform for citizens to comment and debate on the issue at hand. That was the reaction I wanted, I wanted the public to start speaking about this issue, to each other.

You document very important and personal moments in the lives of the young girls in your photographs. What is your relation to them? How easy or difficult has it been to get their consent for your project?

Throughout the project, I am constantly being refused, from the husband or the girls’ parents-in-laws, to photograph or interview the girl. This is one of the reasons why I have been working on the project for more than a year now. Sometimes it takes me three to four months to find someone to photograph. As I mentioned earlier, there are girls who are happy with their decision to marry young and girls who are very sad about the situation, so I have a different kind of relation with each of them.

In a way it seems to me, all your projects revolve around the theme of autonomy. What role do autonomy and self-determination play for you?

My country’s history is a big timeline of fighting for freedom and independence. A little country like Georgia survived many wars throughout the centuries, even one with the Soviet Union, which left a big scar, but didn’t demolish our identity. The last war was in 2008 with Russia. So, I am not surprised you pointed that out. I would like to live in a country where there is democracy and freedom of speech and when I read or experience situations where there is neither, I tell the story and try to raise awareness to make a change. For example, in my recent project about early marriage the girls are not independent; they take what is offered from others, following the tradition and mentality of those around them.

Do you already have plans for your next project? What can we expect?

I’m planning on doing my next project on film. So let’s see, there’s always plan B.

To find out more about Daro Sulakauri’s projects, read our feature about Deprived of Adolesence or visit the artist’s website. All photographs were provided by the artist and used with permission.

written by Teresa Sutter on 2016-02-22 #people #lifestyle #film #georgia #photojournalism #documentary-photography