2015 - Ongoing
Afghanistan; Iran; Palestinian Territory; Dagestan, Russia
Mohamed (15) is one of the circus students at the MMCC circus in Kabul. The school holds daily training sessions in different camps and villages all over Afghanistan. Each camp or village constitutes a little team and a so-called „Funtainer“ (their name for the shipping containers they use). Mohamad is from a village in the mountains, a five minute drive just outside of Kabul. Qali Qazi, Afghanistan 2016.
Schoolchildren and their teachers wait in line to enter the Khalil Oghab circus. The circus was founded 1991 by the so-called “Hercules from Persia”, Khalil Oghab. The circus offers female visitors a very rare oppurtunity – to enjoy a moment of freedom, momentarily escaping the claws of the misogynistic Mullas in the islamic dictatorship of Iran. Tehran, Iran, February 2016.
Mohammad Abu Sakha is currently being detained in a military prison in Israel. He worked as a circus artist and teacher in the Palestinian Circus School in Ramallah. He was arrested at the end of the year 2015 without any apparent reason. On the photo he is seen stretching at his room in Birzeit, Palestine 2015.
The circus students from Bamyan City and Yakawlang have just met. It is rare that in spacious country of Afghanistan, where overland trips on the bad roads are long and strenuous that circuses from different provinces or cities get to meet. Together they juggle the main road up and down, then it's finally time for the big performance. A few men are sitting on the roofs and gaze down on the performance on the village square. The village women are sitting on the wall of the dam, watching the spectacle from the sidelines Yakawlang, Bamyan province, Afghanistan 2017.
Besan is a 21 year old clown doctor in Gaza City. She is working as one of two female clown doctors in the strip and one day bopes to become a journalist. For her it is most important to see children happy. She lives with her family in Noserat Camp close to the city. The house is an oasis in the camp, with a small but dashing green garden and a beautiful house. Her family is supporting her Job and studies. The photo was taken in April 2016 in Gaza.