Photo:
Shahar Azran
Sima Ariam
to see and
by Lisa de Ribere Larkin
be seen
[Appeared in Lifestyles Magazine, Fall 2003, pp. 57-59. Reformatted to
fit the current medium.]
To some, seeing is believing. To Sima Ariam, seeing is knowing. The proof of her
vision was witnessed at the prestigious 92nd Street Y in New York City, where
her photographic show "Sima Ariam, Portraits: New York/Tel Aviv/New York" opened
to an enthusiastic and delighted public. The exhibit gave observers insight into
such luminaries as Hillary Rodham Clinton, Bill Clinton, Shimon Peres, Zubin
Mehta, Susan Sontag, Larry Rivers, Elie Wiesel, Dr. Ruth Westheimer and more
public figures, artists and writers from the New York/Israeli community.
It seemed that the evening of the exhibit, also the first day of war in Iraq and
miserably cold and rainy in New York, was not the most auspicious time for an
exhibit to open. "Sima said today that the timing is terrible, because of the
outbreak of war," said Helaine Geismar Katz, Associate Executive Director of the
92nd St. Y, "but from our perspective, nothing could be farther from the truth.
We're so grateful to have this work. To have art now is so necessary. And we
feel grateful, particularly at this moment, that these photographs help us once
again to demonstrate our love, our respect, our dedication to the State of
Israel."
What is uncommon about Ariam and her photographs is that she is a successful
psychologist practicing on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and her insightful
work in this field informs her use of candid, extreme close up portraits to
reflect to viewers the intimate inner aspects of her subjects. In effect, Dr.
Ariam shows us through her unique gift to "see" into the psyche of another --
what she is seeing, and what we long to identify with.
Ariam says, "I sharpen my eye to catch people in the best way when they are
centered in themselves. I watch and I see. I see all day long during my work,
and sometimes I use that capacity at social events to catch people when they are
most themselves. I am a psychological photographer."
In fact, until she had exhibited at the Tel Aviv Performing Arts Center and Beit
Gavriel in Zemach on the Sea of Gallilee two years ago, she had not realized how
much she relied on her eyes during therapy sessions with her patients.
"I am more aware now that I react to what I see. It always begins visually for
me. Then I reflect to my patients the emotions I have seen in them, feelings
that they are unaware of otherwise."
A person experiencing the art of Ariam's psycho visual approach to therapy may
notice her eyes suddenly drawn to a hand movement, a crossing of the legs, a
thrust of the chin. But mostly, she looks at the eyes and face, which tell her
more than the words being uttered. Her approach is instinctual, visceral, in the
moment. Who better, then, to capture that flash of surprise tinged with irony
and humor in Hillary Rodham Clinton; the warm, confident and welcomingly
accessible face of Shimon Peres; or the unquestionably impish demeanor of Ehud
Barak?
A key element to Ariam's success, here, has to do with trust. Even the dead on
headshots exude trust, which is unusual for a crowd that is used to being
snapped and flashed at. They let her in to expose a deeper level of themselves
knowing, somehow, that she won't abuse that trust and secretly wishing to be
exposed.
It is much the same in Ariam's work in psychology. Over time, the bravado is
sent packing, and what remains is the essence, the subtle fragrance of the real
flower as it was born.
Photo: Shahar
Azran
Ariam, born in Jerusalem not long after the birth of Israel itself, grew up like
most of her peers subject to the same social expectations and pressures. At age
21, she married a computer consultant and became a schoolteacher of history and
Bible Studies in a Tel Aviv neighborhood. She has described herself as a "poster
child for that tradition" of marrying young and working as a teacher ö a
profession which molds itself to the husband's and inevitable children's needs.
Five years later, the true person she was and is compelled her to totally change
direction. Ariam says, "In order to break from that tradition, it was necessary
to break away completely." She and her husband split up amicably (in fact they
are still friends now) and Ariam began her odyssey toward her true calling:
psychology.
Embarking to New York and Columbia University for her Masters degree, carrying
$500 in her wallet, she was alone for the first time without the support, moral
or financial, of her family or friends. However, her courage did not go
unrewarded. Before long she was working as a secretary at Israel's Mission to
the UN with then Ambassador Joseph Tekoa, and teaching Hebrew in the afternoons
to support herself.
After earning her Masters in psychology, she went on to NYU for her Doctorate
and immediately began working in a clinic that treated obesity and the type two
diabetes resulting from it. As destiny would have it, that very first once-a
week job grew into her work's passion and she began developing an approach to
eating disorders and weight control that can still be considered by some weight
watchers with skepticism.
Ariam believes that "dieting" to lose weight is an exercise in futility designed
to
line the pockets of the people who write endless diet books. Her theory, which
entails much harder work than starving oneself, is unique in that it is based on
her belief that obesity is primarily rooted in the psyche, and until the causes
of overeating are addressed, the remedies for symptoms will simply not work.
Although Ariam encourages healthy eating habits and exercise, she does not
address overweight problems with a "diet."
"Eating disorders are constructive defense mechanisms gone awry," she says,
"They were useful in childhood. They are no longer useful as an adult. Diets are
even more deprivation to people who are already deprived. They respond to this
deprivation with even more eating, and worse, bingeing. This is why diets don't
work." She continues, "These people need to self nurture and to get to the
bottom of why they eat. Overeating is much the same as drug addiction,
alcoholism and shopping addiction. It soothes and placates feelings that are
uncomfortable or painful. Food deadens the unpopular feelings, and thus deadens
the person. It is a narcotic of sorts. These persons need to learn how to take
real control over their lives and become responsible by recognizing their real
needs and feelings and responding in an appropriate way."
Being "alive" can be an insurmountable challenge to an overweight person who was
taught that certain feelings are taboo, for aliveness entails the recognition of
all feelings, "good" and "bad." Many children learn, even as babies, that their
feelings will be handled in various ways. If they cry, a bottle may be shoved in
their mouths. Later on, this can translate into, "If I am sad (frightened,
lonely, angry, etc.), putting food in my mouth will make me feel better. The
unpleasant feelings will go away."
Ariam believes that a healthy psyche recognizes, owns and welcomes all feelings,
including the unpleasant ones. They are all part of life and aliveness and must
be embraced.
There is no doubt that Ariam practices what she preaches. At the exhibit
opening, one could witness her in action, moving among her friends and admirers
with a warmth and verve indicative of how she moves full force into life and the
immediate moment. As hands cradled faces in close uninhibited contact, smiles
beaming back and forth, an energy began to build which was enhanced by the large
40" by 30" photos ringing the room. In fact, looking at the exhibit slowly,
carefully, it became apparent that the power of these photos could be
overwhelming.
At first glance they seem like snaps anyone might take at a party. But each
portrait is a trove of information about its subject. From Zubin Mehra's
rapturous gaze at his off camera mother, to the luminous, soft quality of Susan
Sontag a writer not normally known for her softness Ariam has captured an
incredible openness and vulnerability that does not stop pulling in the viewer.
So, the question returns again and again: How does Ariam get her photos? Some
are easier than others. Most of her subjects are people known to her from the
intellectual and political worlds of Israel and New York. Ariam records these
cultural events, some of which she hosts at her own home a la Gertrude Stein,
with the ease of someone capturing moments from a family reunion. These "family
members" have become so used to her moving around a reception room with her
idiot proof Pentax, and used to the magnificent results as well, that they
surrender willingly, breathless to witness the newest batch of portraits. Many
of her subjects have ongoing "Sima Albums" to which she adds more of her photos
on a regular basis. Bill Clinton, however, was another story.
It was at the Rabin fundraiser that Ariam found herself intermittently seated at
the same table as Mr. Clinton. Whipping out her ubiquitous camera, she began to
snap away furiously, not knowing when she'd have this opportunity again.
Finally, Clinton's bodyguard approached her with the request to cease and
desist. But she already had what she was hoping for another shot worthy of
hanging in one of her shows. Months later, Clinton gave a lecture at the 92nd
St. Y and Ariam had the opportunity to hand him the catalogue book for her own
upcoming show at the Y. Fascinated by the portraits, he handed her his pen so
she could autograph her book for him.
As if this thrill was not enough, Shimon Peres spent an hour with her at the Y
exhibit during a 48 hour visit to New York. It was a magnificent compliment to
enhance her own experience of the exhibition.
Photo:
Doron Chanoch
The first photograph visible at the entryway to this show is one Ariam took at
Angkor Thom, an ancient, rediscovered temple in Cambodia, of a statue with four
faces symbolizing the uniqueness of humanity as it was created in the reflection
of God's image. Beside it is a quote from Marcel Proust, "The human face is
really like one of those oriental gods a whole group of faces juxtaposed on
different planes. It's impossible to see them all simultaneously."
This is a concept visited in the Book of Ezekiel, Chapter 1, as well as in the
Hebrew word punim which means "face," yet which is pluralized as to mean "many
faces." The idea captivates Ariam in all its forms because it so closely abides
with her work as a psychologist and her post graduate work with both Mme.
Colette Albuker and Dr. Jerry Epstein, Much included the study of morphology,
the maul thrust of which is images, imagery and dreams. It was with these two mentors that she became acquainted with the approach that the language of the
mind and soul is pictures, not words.
All these connections form an inexorable progression to Ariam's current work in
photography Although she agrees that one can never see all the faces at once,
Sima Ariam does see the one that counts the one that is real, the one that
exposes the vulnerability and beauty of the inner self And then, she gives that
self back to its owner and - with her photos to all of us who gratefully witness
the miracle.