Johann Rousselot: Phallocracia

Johann Rousselot Born in 1971 in Brussels, Belgium – Member of Oeil Public collective agency from 2001 till its closure of in 2010 – Currently represented by Maison de Photographes Signatures in France and Laif/Redux for the rest of the world – He lived in Paris for 20 years then moved and settled down in India (New Delhi) where he’s been residing since 2016.

Johann_Rousselot_PhallocraciaEgypt – 

During the Egyptian january 2011 revolution, women were at the frontline equally with their male angry fellows. The players of this historical moment make mention of a period full of magic, when all differences were ironed out for the sake of a greater cause. Euphoria was short-lived. The old patriarchal rules resurfaced. Women became again a traditionnal and easy target. The video footage of « The girl in the blue bra », beaten up by the police in december 2011, became a mediatic landmark of this disenchantment.

The whole world was shocked by the gang rapes which skyrocketed mostly during 2012 and 2013 protests. The words « sexual terrorism » replaced those of sexual harassment. Today this appalling sexual terror wave has fainted out, but the usual harassment, a cocktail of frustrated pulsions and an extremely phallocratic regime are still ruining Egyptian women’s daily life.

 

PHALLOCRACIACairo, Egypt, May 2014. Phallocracia. Young boys hanging out in downtown streets.

 

One cannot say it is like anywhere in the world. There seems to be an Egyptian syndrome. Feminist organizations have worked for years, and are still working, to combat this phenomenon. They are trying to break out of the complexities of the social taboos that blame women for participating in demonstrations, a process that reaches the extent of blaming women for leaving their houses in the first place. Women are also blamed for what they wear, though according to statistics those dressed modestly or islamically correct undergo as much if not more harassment. Such cliches are legion.

My work to condemn this is a photographic essay, which takes from my usual documentary background and mixes with conceptual thinking and digital collage technique. Starting from the political injustice that reached its climax with the organised gang rapes, I decided to extend it to the sourcing cause, that is a phallocratic ruling regime and general state of mind.

 

Written & Photography by Johann Rousselot

Related Posts

Ghosts of Genocide : Palash Krishna Mehrotra on Ziyah Gafic

Bosnia : Book Review : Quest For Identity By Palash Krishna Mehrotra By themselves, these are ordinary objects. These are objects that ...

Zhe Chen: The Bearable & Bees

China – The Bearable (2007-2010) is Chen’s confessional photo-documentation of her self-harm history spanning half a decade. Bees (2010-2012) features a collection ...

Jost Franko: Shepherds

Slovenia –  The shepherd community that has existed for more than 500 years on Velika planina in Slovenia is a ...

Rafael Arocha: “Medianoche” – Confessions of Night Seduction

Spain –  Medianoche refers to a border that confronts us with certain limits. A temporary space in which we can explore ...

Asger Carlsen: From Crime-Photography to Mutilated, Disfigured Human Form

USA – Asger Carlsen’s images consist of mutilated, disfigured and distorted human forms with a typical obscure quality to them. He ...

Colin Pantall on Kevin Griffin’s Last Man Standing

Ireland –  Isolated islands off the Irish coast? There are a few that come to mind. Craggy Island is one ...

Istanbul Urbanization – Raphael Fournier

Turkey – Istanbul, economic and cultural capital of Turkey, second fastest growing country after China, an estimated 17 million inhabitants ...

Marilene Coolens Lisa De Boeck

Marilène Coolens & Lisa De Boeck: “The Umbilical Vein” – Mother Photographs Her Daughter For 13 Years

Belgium – For The Umbilical Vein, photography team Memymom, composed of mother Marilène Coolens and daughter Lisa De Boeck, unearth a collection ...

Tine Guns: Amoureux Solitaire

Belgium –  Two actors perform one of the most iconographic acts in film history: the kiss. ‘Amoureux Solitaire’ is an ...