Self-Portrait as a Soldier

In Self-Portrait as a Soldier, one of my earliest bodies of work, I explore the intertwining of existence and transience.

The figure of the soldier served as my starting point—both because my military service was fresh in my mind and as a reference to my father, a founder of the Israeli Navy.

 

I photographed various objects in a style reminiscent of memorial photography, engaging with death and loss while addressing what remains. These works act as a bridge between the rigid, masculine environment of the military and the softer, more ambiguous space of artistic memory.

 

Taken with a pinhole camera and long exposures, these self-portraits transform the soldier’s setting into an uncertain form. The technical choice of the pinhole allows the past to resonate in new ways, blurring the lines between presence and absence.

PUBLICATIONS

Exhibition Catalogue

Ofer Lellouche and Ariel Yannay - A conversation