Words by Natasha Djanogly
From exposing the hidden to celebrating the “weird,” photo duo Fotómetro is finally pulling the plug on the endless chase for “normal” — and the world cannot look away.
Originally from Tel Aviv and now based in London, the duo — made up of real-life couple Ofek Avshalom and Rona Bar — is increasingly commanding attention with their visually compelling photographs and poignant take on identity, expression, human connection, and the “normal” versus the “bizarre”.
From awards like the BJP Portrait of Britain and Taylor Wessing to features in Dazed, Marie Claire, i-D, Vogue, and numerous international shows, Fotómetro’s inclusive, subversive, and culturally pertinent vision is striking a chord with today’s society.
Fotómetro first made a buzz in 2021 with Youth — a vibrant, expressive photo series featured in Schön! Magazine, capturing the faces and raw energy of teenagers. Since then, they have only gained momentum — whether through the candid, subdued home portraits capturing individuals’ journeys toward self-discovery in Tell Me Where Your Freedom Lies, or their critically acclaimed, love-inspired series Us.
This visceral, tender project — exhibited at the National Portrait Gallery and the Jewish Museum in Vienna — plunges into the lives of 28 couples around the time of the pandemic, capturing “the warmth and intimacy of people in love in the worlds they have created for themselves.” In varying levels of nudity and physical intimacy, the couples sit, stand, lie together — effortlessly attuned to each other’s presence, often in their own sitting room, bedroom, or kitchen.
For Fotómetro, an individual’s home speaks volumes — and often it’s where they choose to capture their subjects. “When you go to the places where the lovers often spend time together, you can face their true selves. A certain space becomes a kind of decoration that makes the story of the two shine even brighter.”
In Us, the unstyled spaces and unrehearsed, instinctual poses avoid any sense of intrusion or voyeurism — the viewer feels welcomed into the couples’ world, mesmerised by the intensity of their love.
Particularly striking is the series’ non-tokenistic diversity of casted couples — something key to all Fotómetro’s work. Featuring non-models of various sexualities, ethnicities, disabilities, ages, sizes, and body types, the series transgresses all pressures of heteronormativity, white-centrism, ableism, and beauty standards that plague the representation of couples and different bodies in mainstream Western media.
Proof of Existence is Fotómetro’s latest venture, featuring Bessy Huang as creative director, Elle McMahon on makeup, eclectic emerging designers, as well as models from the inclusive Zebedee Talent Agency.
Curated by Berfin Cicek and exhibited this past June at Cicek Gallery in London — a gallery founded by Berfin to support artists from underrepresented backgrounds — the radical series confronts human individuality, identity, and expression.
From drag performer Co Kendrah sporting a pig-face prosthetic while deep into a plate of pasta in the kitchen, to a serious Nan Mthembu standing on a train station escalator in a giant, human-sized purple tie designed by Min-Ji Kim, surreal, vibrant characters are captured in all their “absurdity” amidst mundane, everyday environments.
With mostly London-based collaborations and backdrops, the move to London provided the perfect setting for this project. “The cosmopolitan atmosphere in the city inspires us daily and allows us to collaborate with a diverse range of talented individuals from various cultural backgrounds. We know it might not be the most popular opinion, but we really enjoy taking photos in London when the weather’s all gloomy and moody.”
Pulsing with unshakable human vigour, Proof of Existence not only reveals and celebrates the “strangeness” that is everywhere, but captures the vulnerable, empowering moment in which a human’s unfiltered self is released. The inspiring series demands limitless expression, visibility, and affirmation for all.
“Our characters are total rebels who aren’t afraid to be themselves and break free from societal norms. We hope their willingness to challenge the status quo inspires you to tap into the boundless potential of your own human spirit for creative expression and individuality.”
The unusual or even “provocative” aspect of Fotómetro’s work extends beyond shock value or shallow social commentary; it generates a profound emotional impact on the viewer and fuels wider social change.
“We deeply connect with the quote, ‘Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable.’ We believe that every emotion holds significance — if our audience feels something, we consider our work successful.”
Humanity’s progress towards inclusivity and open-minded thinking is lagging — and Fotómetro, powered by their increasing influence, is using photography to hit the accelerator.
“For us, photography serves as a powerful medium to enhance visibility and create a platform for dialogue, bringing critical issues to the forefront.”
By authentically exposing what’s typically hidden or private — be it the home, identity, or intimacy — the duo dismantles social stigmas, stereotypes, and conventions, and questions the very existence of a “normal.”
Rather, Fotómetro is uncovering and celebrating the boundless, fluid ways humans can exist, live, look, love, and express themselves — an act that is enlightening, empowering, and exactly what the world needs.
With a flair for spontaneity, the whole world is open to Fotómetro. Currently, they are working on an exciting personal photobook project documenting the relationship between eye-catching mother–daughter duo Lois and Carey — but the future is anyone’s guess.
One thing is certain:
When it comes to the age-old question — Why can’t I/we be normal? —
Fotómetro reveals the truth:
There is no “normal” and there is no “strange.”
There is only human — infinite and wonderful.
Thank you to Fotómetro — Ofek Avshalom and Rona Bar — and to Berfin Cicek and Cicek Gallery for sharing their stories, time, and final images with us.
