In the following photo series you can see my friend Elissar, 18, originally from Lebanon and Muslima. She’s living out Islam in a European country according to her own ideas and standards. At this point, let me add a fictional scenario to the photos: Imagine that strictly religious relatives, Aunt and Uncle, from Elissar's home country are visiting her family. Now every photo caption is a question or an expletive from these relatives to Elissar's parents. The questions and expletives refer to the successful living of her niece's religion. In contrast to these stand the photos themselves. Elissar has respect for Islam, but sees herself in a dilemma. And so she is creating a parallel existence through her actions: “The westernized form of Islam“. With this photo series I want to show that there are difficulties and confrontations for young Muslims, especially young girls, living in a Western society. I don’t want to provoke strictly religious people. I just want to show that there are a lot of people who have the will to adapt - and do so. But sometimes there are just little barriers.
