Ilit Azoulay, born in Jaffa in 1972, currently resides and works in Berlin, Germany. She attained her Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in 1998 and her Master of Fine Arts (MFA) in 2010 from the Bezalel Academy of Art and Design in Jerusalem. While initially trained in classical photography, Azoulay's artistic journey took a critical turn following her MFA studies. She embarked on a rigorous exploration of photography's established norms, particularly those shaped by a male-dominated industry focused on capturing the decisive moment. Azoulay's signature technique involves reimagining images through meticulous research-driven data analysis. Her post-processed creations not only extend the photographic process over time but also challenge the conventional perspectives dictated by single-lens photography. Through her work, the presence and temporality of the photographer become elusive, as she intentionally fades behind the intricacies of her compositional grids. Central to Azoulay's artistic discourse is a critique of the Darwinian concept of progress underlying the technical evolution of photography. She often alludes to the earliest daguerreotype, highlighting the unwitting subject captured due to a lack of understanding of the emerging technology. Collaborating with researchers and witnesses, Azoulay's art is imbued with textual layers functioning as data, revealing the genesis of objects and the intrinsic connection between disclosure and artistic expression. Her creations transcend traditional notions of photography, as each element is meticulously sensed, traced, and recontextualized. Through composite and multilayered imagery, Azoulay invites viewers into a parallax view spanning various dimensions of time and space, leaving a lasting impression in the annals of artistic duration.
