BÉNI

“BENI” Photographs by CAROLINE ALIDA – Belgium
This exhibition shines a light on transgender women in India. Caught between their divine status in the Hindu faith and their exclusion within a patriarchal society, their reality is one of stark contrasts. The exhibition reveals their pride and the dignity of their transition, but also their vulnerability in the face of the opportunities denied to them.
Through images of temples and sacred trees, their spiritual aura shines through. The title “Blessed” evokes the blessings they offer on the street in exchange for a few rupees. They bless others, but are they truly blessed themselves?
In my photographic projects, I focus on people and their vulnerability. I like to devote several years to a single subject, often people living on the margins of society. Far from mere chance, I build a deep personal connection with those I portray in order to better understand their reality and their motivations.
A conversation with Micol Rothman, professor of endocrinology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine in Denver, USA. Wednesday, July 22, at 6:30 p.m.