Su Cassiano, 'Sisterhood'
60 x 60 x 0.1 cm
Hahnemuhle Photo Rag
Edition 1/20
$750
This photograph is part of the series ‘Sisterhood’. Set in France, the project responds to the 2022 hijab ban in basketball and the wider exclusion of visibly Muslim women from sport. Against a backdrop of rising Islamophobia and far-rights politics, Sisterhood documents the resilience of those affected and the activism of collectives like Basket Pour Toutes. Through portraits and advocacy, the series challenges policies that silence and marginalize under the guise of secularism, affirming that the right to play - and to choose how to exist - is fundamental to gender justice.
Léna joined Hélène out of solidarity, seeing that her teammate was banned because of her headscarf. Practicing a sport is a fundamental right, and excluding these women has dire consequences on their wellbeing, impacting their social lives and mental health. Amnesty France expressed concern, this coming in a context of global backlash against women's rights: ‘When society forces a woman to do or not to do something, we're entering into gender-based violence. It's hard to see how these restrictions are going to promote women's rights.’
Su Cassiano (she/they) is a documentary photographer and visual storyteller currently based in Istanbul, Türkiye. Their work centres on topics of human rights, gender-based violence, queer and LGBTQIA+ rights or the resilience of forcibly displaced people.
Specialised in narrative portraiture and documentary, Su’s work is characterised by the gentle collaboration created with the people they portray. Their practice aims to deconstruct stereotypes and create space for dissident voices, often engaging and working with under- or misrepresented communities.
Su has worked for Le Monde, Libération, The New York Times Magazine and Le Nouvel Obs amongst others. Their work has appeared in many publications including The Guardian Australia, Frankie Magazine, Archer magazine or Lezs, Taiwan.
Su has exhibited internationally at gallery and festival spaces, including at EuroPride 2023, Valletta, Malta, the Royal Photographic Society 2020, Yangon Pride, Myanmar, 2020. In 2017, Su was awarded the Iris Award, Australia, and is an alumnus of the Eddie Adam Workshop XXXV.