Alixandra Fazzina participated in the panel talk "Loose Women" during the Photo London festival on May 22, 2016. The panel was hosted and curated by Cheryl Newman, the award-winning Former Photography Director of the Telegraph Magazine, writer and photography consultant. Alixandra was invited to the panel together with other talented photographers and curators: Zelda Cheatle, Emma Blau, Hannah Watson and Olivia Arthur - to explore the role of women in photography and female photographers across fashion, editorial and documentary photography.
The panelists discussed what obstacles female photographers may have and how they can contribute with fresh perspective. Alixandra shared her experience as female war photographer and lecturer at the Danish School of photography. She discussed her long-term project, which culminated in the book "The Million Shillings: Escape from Somalia" and dismantled some gender labels in her profession:
"I was in a very male-dominated world because essentially I was working with the military most of the time. I felt very-very conscious that I needed to prove myself as a woman. I had to work a lot harder. So, people would not make fun or comment ‘You got in there because you’re a woman’ and you think, ‘No, I actually had to prove myself on the frontline, to get respect from the military'. When I showed that I worked hard, they’d respect me back and give me the access."
Professional Photography Magazine wrote an article on the panel talk. Find the interview in the July edition.
Watch the discussion here.