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Phil Douglis | all galleries >> Galleries >> Gallery Fifteen: Making travel portraits that define personality and character. > Shopkeeper, Jerusalem, Israel, 2011
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18-NOV-2011

Shopkeeper, Jerusalem, Israel, 2011

This portrait of a Muslin shopkeeper, which I made while walking through souks of the Jerusalem’s old city, speaks to me of mixed emotions. He seems neither pleased nor displeased by my attentions. He stares impassively at us, holding a lighted cigarette in one hand, while bracing his other hand on his knee. He bends his head slightly to his right, projecting a sense of patience. He wears the Arab keffiyeh, a traditional headscarf designed as protection from sun and sand. The red and white color of his headscarf is not symbolic – Arabs from many countries and backgrounds wear such scarves. He also wears a taqiyah, a white prayer cap giving him his identity as a Muslim. This mark of faith is the brightest spot in the image. The Jerusalem souks are chilly in November, and a warm, well-made sweater completes his ensemble. He sits on a white plastic chair, surrounded by his wares. I only show a trace of them – I emphasize the man himself here.

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Phil Douglis09-Feb-2012 22:57
There is indeed a sense of weary detachment here, Iris - and enduring patience as well.
Iris Maybloom (irislm)06-Feb-2012 04:55
I understand your mixed emotions......this man's flat affect speaks to me of sadness, weariness, and detachment.
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