Sexual Fantasies

Sexual Fantasies documents the sexual fantasies of women and people who were socialized as women, in Lebanon and the region. It challenges the conventional -colonial and patriarchal- ways of representing our region and bodies in photography: On one hand, this documentation is an attempt at humanizing Arab bodies by shifting the narrative from our pain and suffering which have been normalized, to our desires and resistance. On the other hand, while our bodies (as women but also trans and gender queer people) have mainly been portrayed through the male gaze, in this collaborative work, we are the ones talking about our desires, owning them, taking back what belongs to us.

“Through conversations and images, we create a universe in which we can exteriorize our thoughts, open discussions, and communicate with the viewer too. The question of sexual fantasies is a window to subjects like rape, abuse, shame, oppression, trauma, the effects of a male centered medical system, eating disorders, neuro divergence, and many other things that we are taught to bottle up.

I have been wanting to explore sexual fantasies since I discovered my own, a few years ago. At the time, patriarchy was invading and occupying the most personal corners of my life, and sexual fantasies became a space in which I could reclaim myself.

In 2020 I published an open call that said: ‘If you’re a woman or you were socialized as a woman and you want to share your sexual fantasies, send me an email.’

Every time I receive a text by e-mail, I ask the following questions: How do you want to be represented? Do you want to be present in the image or not? What do you want to show or hide? Where and how do you want to be photographed? Alongside a long series of questions about sexual fantasies.

This work is an attempt at focusing on our dreams and desires, giving space to the worlds that exist inside of us. By exploring our sexual fantasies, we inevitably document socio-political issues that are silenced and normalized.” - Myriam Boulos.

Myriam Boulos is a Lebanese photographer who uses photography to explore, defy, and resist society. Her approach for her masterclass project, Sexual Fantasies, was based on an open call: “If you identify as a woman or you have been socialized as a woman, and you want to share your sexual fantasies, send me an e-mail.” 
Her belief is that "by exploring our sexual fantasies, we inevitably document socio-political issues that are silenced and normalized."

For the 28th edition of the Joop Swart Masterclass, we brought together 12 emerging photographers from around the world to develop a project, and develop the tools to make a viable career in photography.

Launched in 1994, the Joop Swart Masterclass is World Press Photo’s best-known educational program for emerging photographers, encouraging new and diverse approaches to photojournalism, documentary photography and visual storytelling. After a three-year hiatus, the Joop Swart Masterclass returns this year, with a focus on the MENA region, thanks to funding from the Porticus Foundation.