Ivan Maria Friedman, Portrait of Yer, 2023, Photograph

‘Portrait of Yer’ by Ivan Maria Friedman (limited series of 15) PhotoRag Baryta Portrait of Yer, a young lady from the Hmong tribe standing at the window of her home in the Vang vieng region, Laos, dressed in her traditional attire. The photo was taken in July 2023. The Art work is part of the "Beyond the Gaze" limited series of portrait, produced by photographer and filmmaker Ivan Maria Friedman In Laos in 2023. We journey through a significant portion of LAOS, once more in pursuit of the enduring spirit of tradition and authenticity. from the banks of the Mekong in Luang Prabang to the tranquil waters of the Nam Ou River, our path takes us through Muang Khua, Muang Ngoy, and Nong Khiaw, reaching the enchanted mountain landscapes of Vang Vieng. At each stop, we rediscover the simplicity of life, the innocence in people's expressions and gestures. Once again, time eludes us. We get absorbed by encounters and events. Life is a constant dance on the edge of the unpredictable. The beauty we encounter is simple and evident, yet effortless, becoming all the more profound because it seams largely unconscious of itself. Amidst stark poverty, it emerges like a flower through cracks in sun-scorched asphalt. Sometimes, ten people share a small house made of woven bamboo. They labor hard in the rice fields from dawn until dusk under the relentless sun. Here, too, life and death hinge on the smallest of things. Yet, always, there are smiles, generosity, and a joy for the simple pleasures that profoundly move the traveler who ventures here. We find ourselves questioning the true nature of happiness, and whether we, in our relentless chase for it through modern conveniences, might have accidentally left it behind somewhere along the way. Ivan Maria Friedman is a photographer, filmmaker and classical musician from Lausanne, Switzerland, active mainly between Europe and Asia. He graduated in classical music from the Lausanne University of Music. Early in his career, he expanded his creative approach to photography and film production. He is known for creating several experimental short films, including ‘Guardians of Paradise’ about Myanmar, which have won numerous international awards on five continents. Ivan Friedman is primarily interested in existential questions related to the profound nature of the human experience, which he explores instinctively and sensitively through symbolic works, constantly searching for universality.