“I try to create the photographs I want to see”: Mayan Toledano on her lasting relationships with subjects

At December’s Nicer Tuesdays, we welcomed the New York-based photographer and filmmaker Mayan Toledano to the online stage for a riveting discussion on her recent work. Dialling in from New York, Mayan kicked off her talk by taking us back to the beginning. As a fashion student inspired by stories rather than beauty, she found a mode of expression in the camera. Showing an amalgamation of career highlights to date, she displayed a collage of distinctly characterful portraits shining a light on themes of gender identity, the female body and empathy in relationships.

In a new and soon-to-be-released film titled Smadar, Mayan then shared a sneak peak of the fashion conscious title character, a local celebrity in northern Israel. Shot against the pure Mediterranean skies, the documentary-cum-art-film delves into Smadar’s life and relationships while paying tribute to her statement outfits and inherent sense of style. Mayan concluded her talk with a Q&A, revealing how she edits her images, and later, discussing how she collaboratively works with her subjects to authentically represent that person in a respectful way.