All images © Rosa Franjic. Retrieved from 1854.photography
Excerpt from 1854.photography
Photographer Rosa Franjic first set foot on Socotra by way of her partner, Tarim Contin-Kennedy, who has deep ties to Yemen. Its famous island, Socotra, has become a tourist hot-spot in recent years, but Franjic set out to focus on its centuries-old traditions through quiet and meditative images, and found resilience woven into daily life. On the island, modernity looms as both a promise and a threat.
Speaking with BJP, Franjic reflects on the motivations behind her work, the friendships that shaped her perspective, and the delicate balance between storytelling and intrusion. She introduces us to the individuals who became central to her project – the guardians of Socotra’s fragile ecosystem, the stewards of its vanishing agricultural practices, and the defiance of those who resist the tide of problematic change.
But photographing Socotra came with its challenges. Franjic speaks candidly about the limitations she faced, particularly when it came to documenting the lives of women, and how putting down her camera often led to deeper, more meaningful interactions. Now, as she looks to new projects – particularly a return to her Bosnian roots – she continues to explore photography as a means of preserving the overlooked and reimagining narratives that exist beyond the mainstream gaze.
“When I put my camera down, it permitted me to engage with my Socotri woman friends in a much more authentic manner that served the dual purpose of significantly reducing mine, and most other foreigners on Socotra’s, inescapable Western gaze”
Dalia Al-Dujaili: What was your motivation for the project and what is your relationship to Socotra generally?
Rosa Franjic: I came across Socotra through my partner Tarim who spent the majority of his life in Yemen and, due to his background in zoology and conservation of biodiversity, formed a special bond with Socotra and its rich endemic biodiversity. Prior to going, I had only heard about Yemen through its dismal media representation and the much more sanguine stories my partner recounted. It was only after having spent some time there that I became aware of the island’s age-old history, rich cultural and natural heritage, and the compelling, unique stories of the island’s inhabitants, who for thousands of years have been the stewards of this rich heritage.
