FOCUS: תאיר אדטו

From Sunrise Until Sunset

My name is Tair Adato. I also go by Zerufa. I am an Israeli photographer and I have been photographing for about 5 years, within the realms of documentary work, minimalism, portraits, and fashion. Zerufa, the name I go by and my hometown, is a small village in Israel. In this town, most families live by Jewish tradition and religion. Much of the community is closely related and spends time with and within their relations. The photos presented here explore Zerufa’s foreign workers. Each one of these men left their home and family (mostly from Thailand and the Philippines) in order to support their loved ones and work for a better future. Yet, in Zerufa, they are seen as outsiders, and often stereotyped. But having taken the time to speak to these men, even beyond a language barrier, I was able to get to know them more personally than most in Zerufa are able or willing to. This perception is what I hope to portray through these photographs. These men work long hours in the fields, from sunrise until sunset. They wear this fashion and these layers as protection from the sun and to stay cool under the beating rays. Their way of dress is unlike that of others, both in Zerufa and Israel in general. I see these workers as muses for my own style and way of living. I dress and create in a way that people in my hometown can misunderstand or consider odd. Even with the vast divide between our privilege and culture, I see the power of the unseen perspective of these workers. With these men and through these images I am able to present a more complete frame of my hometown.