Der Greif X MPB: Behind the Image with Keren Benbenisty

Der Greif introduces Keren Benbenisty, who has been selected by Boaz Levin and Sophia Greif as a scholarship awardee for their curated Guest Room "The Tide Rises, The Tide Falls". Benbenisty is a multidisciplinary, research-based artist born in Israel. She explores notions of loss and displacement through historical narratives and myths. Her work focuses on micro-events and their long-term ramifications within the disciplines of archaeology, biology, and linguistics.

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Der Greif: Can you tell us the story behind your work selected for Guest Room?

As with most of my projects, "Jaydia" is place-driven. It started with my interest in the Suez Canal in Egypt, which was constructed between 1859 and 1869. It's considered one of the most important accomplishments of the Industrial Revolution and the most significant human intervention in nature – and simultaneously, as a prime manifestation of European imperialism. The opening of the canal led to a massive migration of aquatic species from the Red Sea to the Mediterranean Sea that has had a significant impact on the latter's ecological system. In the project "Jaydia", I processed fish skins to create eighty 35 mm celluloid slides, made prints of various fish species, and shot a film – "Light Skin" – to explore the impact of migration from the Mediterranean Sea ecosystem on changing human skin color. The installation included a rear projection of the slides along with a film narrating the history of fish migration, sculptural elements made with fish scales, and a magnifying loop.

Der Greif: Can you expand on the themes that specifically your photographic work explores?

I grew up as a first-generation Israeli with immigrant parents from Morocco and Turkey. I emigrated to Paris in 1998 and to New York City in 2011. The experience - lived and ancestral - of movement between West and East is the basis of my artistic focus on the implications of migration, notions of loss, displacement, and homeland. The idea of processing fish skin into 35mm slides in the "Jaydia" project came from thinking about memory and the similarities between skin and photographs. I imagined the migration being registered on the fish-skin, in the same way that a photograph registers light to fix and record a memory.

Der Greif: What is the biggest challenge you have faced in photography?

In my research-based practice, photography is a tool for documenting specific processes of metamorphosis. Each of my projects revolves around one of these processes – the transformation of organic or ephemeral material that symbolizes political or social concerns. In each project, I consider whether the process should be captured through photography or filmed in real-time. In many cases, the process is transient or occurs too quickly, so photography becomes my means of recording it, in order to immortalize, archive, and categorize it. The challenge I frequently encounter lies in finding an appropriate medium, be it through specific camera techniques, post-processing methods (analog or digital), or even the choice of printing material.

Der Greif: Who are some photographers that inspire your work?

I've long been intrigued by surrealist artists who used photography, such as Dora Maar, Man Ray, and Claude Cahun. I'm drawn to their experimentation in the darkroom using light as a medium, ready-made objects as protagonists, and montages to assemble distinct moments into one. In general, I am inspired less by conventional photographers than by artists who use photography. Among contemporary photographers, I am also drawn to visual artists who use photography or video in their work but are not considered traditional photographers. Jean-Luc Moulene, Pierre Huygue, Tacita Dean, and Eija-Liisa Ahtila, to name a few. I also draw inspiration from many filmmakers, including Chantal Akerman, Jean-Luc Godard, Agnès Varda, Werner Herzog, and Patricio Guzmán, who combine documentary imagery with fictional narratives or vice versa.

Der Greif: What are you working on right now?

For the past few years, I have been working with the concept of blue oranges. The project "Tristeza," named after a lethal virus that infects citrus trees (meaning 'sadness' in Spanish and Portuguese), comprises a series of collages, hand-cut photographs, and a film narrating my attempt at cultivating a blue orange. It connects land and emotion by attempting to convert agricultural concepts into psychological and mental terms. I am about to embark on a new project in Morocco, my mother's homeland. More specifically, in the Anti-Atlas Mountains, where I plan to follow the harvesting and export of the Etrog – a Moroccan citron. The film will seek to demystify the Etrog – a sacred fruit for the Jews, cultivated by Muslims in a secret valley.

Der Greif: What kind of gear do you work with?

For my videos, I work with a DSLR Nikon D7100 that I need to upgrade! It's a relatively small camera that allows you to blend in. The inconspicuousness enables you to achieve intimacy, which is an essential element when working with unfamiliar people. Filming is like drawing – but with the eye moving around instead of the hand. I have to do everything alone. I once tried to work with a cameraperson, but it was quite a disaster. I couldn't communicate what I wanted them to do. I discover what I want to film while working. I must be familiar with my camera and lenses. It may not work the same way if I borrow equipment. In the end, it all comes down to the lens and the light.

Der Greif: What is the story behind the first camera you ever used?

It was a cheap 5x5 Rolleiflex camera that I found at a flea market in Paris. I also had my father's camera, a 35mm Yashika that he bought in the 1960s. He used it to make each 35mm frame half the size. Back then, photography was very expensive, so he found a way to stretch his student budget: the camera allowed him to take two frames in one, so he could later cut the slide in half. I used his slides in my most recent project, "Tristeza". I like to see how, years later, it all comes together.

Der Greif: What do you value in your gear today? And where do you stand on the matter?

The most honest answer to this question begins with the confession that I never use the word "gear." Maybe that says it all. As I mentioned, I am not a traditional photographer; therefore, the gear, in most cases, is unimportant to me. I produce images through various materials, organic materials in most cases - the camera allows me to document their metamorphosis, which is the main element in my conceptual practice, the process. Located at the Elizabeth Foundation in Manhattan, my studio is conveniently situated near a camera store. I frequently visit their used equipment department, not only to browse but also to draw inspiration. Despite the surprising absence of women among the employees, they are incredibly friendly, well-informed, and exhibit remarkable patience. Many of them have grown up using this equipment, thus possessing a deep understanding of its functionality. Furthermore, they often discuss the historical context in which these items were produced. It is here that I acquire my slide projectors and other necessary accessories, allowing me to transport myself back to the analog world in which I live and work. Although I utilize digital technology to document this world, my visits to the camera store provide a nostalgic connection to my artistic process.

Der Greif: Can you tell us what this scholarship means for you?

It is such a surprise and an honor! Photography is vital to my work but I don't consider myself a photographer. I use it and experiment with it. In the 2000s, when I was an art student at the Beaux-Arts de Paris, the conceptual German photographer Barbara Leisgen was my mentor, along with Christian Boltanski. Barbara and her partner Michael were German artists who began working at the intersection of photography, performance art, and land art in the early 1960s. In retrospect, I can see that she played a major role in shaping my practice as an artist, even though she gave us total freedom and didn’t push us to emulate her. Receiving this award inspires me to embark on new experiments with the medium!