Traveling with only a backpack and a camera, Amira Karaoudquit her job as a financial analyst to take photographs around the world. Karaoud said she wanted to discover who she was while traveling in countries she knew nothing about.
But while on her trip, Karaoud experienced social injustices because she’s a woman. Those personal experiences inspired her photography exhibit Ligne Rouge Photography Installation Exhibit that is now on display at Spalding University.
While traveling in Myanmar, Karaoud took a three-hour hike to the top to a holy place where there’s supposedly a relic of Buddha’s hair.
“I was pretty excited, and I was trying to get close to get picture of it,” she said. “All I hear is guys screaming right behind me, and I looked back and none of them spoke English and they showed me a sign that said women are not allowed in the area.”
Karaoud said that experience inspired her to create the exhibit. After that, she continued to take photos of women and people in their cultures. She said that her exhibit mainly focuses on those people and her interactions with them.
“There was this old lady almost calling me to take this photo of her. Posing for me. She had this huge cigar like as large as a banana,” Karaoud said.”When I started taking a picture of her she had this look that sent a lot of strength and presence and no fear whatsoever when she was smoking her cigar.”
Karaoud said she is excited to see how people of Louisville respond to her art. She said her photographs help keep track of history and show how different cultures change.
“That’s one of the things that makes me think that I want to do this exhibit in a lot of countries because different countries and different cultures people will react differently to it,” Karaoud said.
In three weeks, Karaoud will travel to her native country of Tunisia and plans to document people’s reactions to the country’s new president, as well as to take photos of the Shaman people and their culture.
Karaoud’s current exhibit will be the Huff Gallery at Spalding University until Dec. 19. There will be a reception held on Nov. 7 from 5 - 7 p.m.
