Bare Truth

26/05/2024

What an absolute honour and privilege to have the 'Bare Truth' series feature in Haaretz magazine. 👌

Founded in 1918, Haaretz הארץ is the longest running newspaper currently in print in Israel. The newspaper was first published in Jerusalem in 1919 as an independent liberal paper in the tradition of Russian-Hebrew journalism and moved to Tel Aviv in 1923. The newspaper is published in both Hebrew and English (Haaretz.com) in the Berliner format (Haaretz). The English edition is published and sold together with The New York Times International Edition.

Haaretz is known for its left-wing and liberal stances on domestic and foreign issues and has the third-largest circulation in Israel. It is widely read by international observers, and discussed in the international press. 📰

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Please message me to get a hyperlink to the entire series in English.

הארץ

10/05/2024

"Clothes maketh the man." Hamlet. "Woe is me for I am undone" Isaiah.
I have always worn jackets and coats, hats, scarves and gloves - both to address the weather and as personal expression. Eventually glasses became a necessity, offering further opportunity to make a statement. As the scruffy student beard evolved into a bristling chestnut moustache, growing self-awareness suggested that all this external paraphernalia had dichotomous value: it served to both conceal and attract.
My yearning for connection and acceptance contrasts with an educated and over-analysed understanding of my many flaws. Better to be merely glanced at and acknowledged than revealed to the judgement of the world.
"For the thing I feared has come upon me." Job. The challenge of exposing my torso for the withered arm, excess adipose tissue and sundry blemishes to be captured, digitised and broadcast was a challenge too great to resist for my masochistic soul.
And so, on a day when a polar blast has hit the country, I disrobe in a small studio near Long Bay - with a boisterous black dog wagging its tail and thrusting between my legs. A Churchillian black dog has been a persistent companion since adolescence. Hidden from the camera, the dog's presence evokes a sense of protective familiarity and muscular demand for attention.
See more at www.ilanwittenberg.com
(c) Ilan Wittenberg

01/12/2022

My name is Victor Manuel De Resende E Sousa. I was born in north Mozambique in Touma Vila Cabral Niar, lake Niassa and the border of Malawi lake. My father was the governor of Niassa. He was born in Portugal, and my mother was from Failal island of the Azores. She came to Mozambique when she was 15 years old. My father's name was Fernando Reis De Sousa and my mother's name was Maria Beatriz De Resende E Sousa. The surname of my mother was Resende and my father's surname was Sousa. All children take their mother's surname and father's surname. I had 3 brothers including myself and 2 sisters. First born was my sister, named Manuela. Second was Victor Third was Antonio Fourth was Fernando and the last one was Beatriz. I started working as a motor mechanic at age 13 years old and became a professional mechanic at 18 years old. At school I studied 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th of primary school, then two years in industrial school. I retired when I was 70 years old. At the moment I'm 76 years old. I went to the army in north Mozambique, fighting Frelimo (Samora Michelle who was a terrorist in those days). I served in the army for seven and a half years. I caught a landmine while I was in the army and was blind in my right eye for three months . My brother Antonio was an official in the Portuguese government. Then he went to the army, also fighting for the Frelimo. In a place called Tete, near the dam of Cahora Bassa. After one year, maybe more, he got married to a lady named Naty. They had a baby named Shana. At the end of the war my brother went back to the government. One day he took a truck with some guys to pick up landmines from the war. Unfortunately he caught a landmine and got killed. From there Naty went to Sweden with her daughter Shana. My other brother Fernando has never been to the army and is living in England. My oldest sister got married and she went with her husband and children to Portugal. Beatriz, my youngest sister, married a sergeant from the army. They had one boy and they live on Madeira island. My wife Egida was born in Madeira and she went to Mozambique at a very young age. I met her when I was in the army, she has 21 brothers and sisters, some passed away. After all these years I went to South Africa and lived there for about 35 years. I have three children. First born was Ana Paula, second was Steven (who lived in New Zealand) and the third was Michelle. This is my story.
(c) Ilan Wittenberg
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20/11/2022

Commenced in 2014, Bare Truth is a captivating collection of portraits of New Zealand men who are humble, courageous and vulnerable. In this ongoing work I explore contemporary masculinity of Auckland men from different age groups and all walks of life. Their photographs expose who they really are. Their edgy portraits are presented in monochrome to emphasize their shape and form. The simple background eliminates distractions so the viewer can focus on their body language and facial expressions. The combination of using a soft, directional light while adapting a special post-processing technique, enables me to enhance their features so the images are raw and crisp. They look directly into my camera so there is always a highlight in their eyes.
The idea of creating portraits of men who expose their chest evolved gradually. The biggest challenge was finding the first man to agree to pose. After a few rejections and setbacks, I created a portrait of a close friend and became really engaged with the look in his eyes. Many cultures portray men as strong, physically and emotionally. This stereotype sometimes leads to dire outcomes when considering how poorly typical men treat health symptoms, depression, stress and anxiety. One of the goals of this project is to raise awareness; give men freedom to express their feelings and connect to their emotions. This fresh look at men is an eye opening opportunity to see the real people without the 'shield' of clothes. We are all flesh and blood and we are here on this planet for a short period of time. This project simply reminds us of how fragile we are.
It takes us just one-tenth of a second to judge someone and make a first impression so it’s fascinating to see how quickly we form our opinion based solely on physical appearance. It’s been said that photography is the easiest medium of Art to be competent in but it's the hardest medium in which to have a truly personal vision. It's very much like talking: everyone can talk but very few have something to say. In creating this collection, I aim to demonstrate a clear style, to tell a story while being imaginative and thought-provoking. My goal is to present work that is strong and distinguished with a clear narrative sense. I wish to inspire people with images that are crisp and sharp, to be creative and artistic, to evoke emotions and to show a personal vision.
At the beginning I asked only friends to participate. After gaining valuable experience and formalising a consistent style, I expanded the portfolio and became confident in approaching total strangers. Having a small folio helped in overcoming objections, until the project gained a critical mass with dozens of portraits. Once the portfolio increased in size, I became more selective and started approaching men who had a more interesting appearance; those whose face tells a story. While some men are very comfortable with having their portrait created, others feel this is completely outside their comfort zone. The Bare Truth project gained further momentum after selected prints from this body of work won prestigious awards at the Portrait Classic category of the 2015 Iris Awards from the NZIPP - the NZIPP - the New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography. 50 prints from this series were later chosen to be exhibited at the 2016 Head On Photo Festival in Sydney and as part of the Signature Programme at the 2016 Auckland Festival of Photography.
The Bare Truth series now holds over 300 portraits and celebrates Auckland's diverse communities. See more at: https://ilanwittenberg.com/bare-truth
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11/09/2022

My name is Syd Breeze, I had a bad incident happen to me when I just turned 21. I left work at 7:30pm, where I was wielding fire extinguishers. I was half-way home driving through Hobsonville, tired and exhausted from work. I had recently just finished working on my car, a mini cooper, so I was quite excited to drive it. But then as I turned the ‘S bend’ a drunk driver couldn't take the corner and came over to my side of the road. We had a head on crash, we were both doing around 60mph, the police told me that's like hitting a brick wall at 120mph. I was a typical young driver and was not wearing my seatbelt. I remember hitting the breaks and everything slowed down, and my mind went crystal clear. I could see the drunk driver coming towards me, and thinking to myself ‘this is going to really hurt’. My mind went blank and dark, I got knocked out. When I woke up, I was looking over my unconscious body with the ambulance officers working on me. Then I realized I had lifted out of my body. There was no pain, no fear, I felt weirdly calm. Before I knew it, everything went dark again and I opened my eyes and they were pulling me out of the car and moving me to the ambulance. The first thing said to me when I woke up was ‘you're very lucky to be alive’. I received just under 200 stitches from smashing my head into the window screen and scalping the top of my head, and then about another 20 stitches in my arms and legs. Luckily, I received no broken bones. One thing I learnt from this accident is how fast life can end, so enjoy it each day as it comes. I've maintained this attitude right up to 63 years old.
See more at: ilanwittenberg.com/bare-truth
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25/07/2022

Working in the trades means you are surrounded by men all the time; you grow up seeing hardened faces with shadows under their eyes and scar tissue whittled through their bodies.
I often find myself feeling a sense of deep remorse for these men. I don't believe enough people understand what it takes to build a roof over your head, or to turn the power on, or keep the water running.
When would have been the last time you stopped to look at the world around you and truly appreciate it? The men and women who get up to build our society every day, I bet that every single one of them has a health issue on some level. I bet they have days, maybe even weeks- where they would rather not go to work because their back is in pain, or they are grieving for a loved one, or maybe they are suffering from a chronic illness... and yet, there they are, working the power lines, running the water lines, building the roads, all so we can have comfortable convenient lives.
And here we sit. On our phones, head down, scrolling mindlessly, avoiding familiar faces, dodging responsibilities, and complaining about everything...
Yes, I feel for the working class... they've got it tough, always under-appreciated for all their sacrifices, they all are... we all are... Maybe if we were more aware of what went into making this comfortable life that we inherited from our ancestors’ sacrifices; we would be kinder, more loving, a more understanding people instead of a bunch of mindless consumers uselessly eating our way through life like zombies. Maybe.
Life is a gift, that's why it's called the present.
See more at: ilanwittenberg.com/bare-truth

16/07/2022

It feels like so long since you went away. We said we would do this together. Why did you have to leave?

I don’t feel strong enough to do this alone. I hide from it. I mask it. I wear a costume to be someone else. Someone happy. Like if no one can see the sadness then maybe I won’t feel it. But it stays. Someone said you must have been needed somewhere else. But who could need you more than we do.

She wants to know why you had to leave. I don’t know what to say. She wants to know when you’re coming home. I don’t have the words. She wants me to brush her hair the way you do. She wants me to do plaits but I don’t know how. She cuddles your teddy bear every night. We both do. She draws pictures of you. Pictures of our little family. We put them on the fridge and it breaks my heart. Why did you have to leave?

———

It feels like so long since you went away. It’s been almost twenty years. I was angry then. It was never your fault. If you hadn’t left I wouldn’t have this strength. I wouldn’t be this man that I am. I am the lucky one. I don’t hide anymore. I’m not afraid of being hurt anymore. I’m not afraid to love wholeheartedly.

She’s no longer our little girl. She grew up so fast. I wish you could see her. She’s the most beautiful woman. A loving big sister. She reminds me of you. She has your smile. Your laugh. She’s not much older than you were when you left. You would be so proud of her.

I still remember the day you left. I sat in the chair beside your bed and stroked your head. I told you I loved you but you had already gone. I’m sorry you had to go. I’m so happy our paths crossed. Our time seems so short but I will always be grateful for you. I love you.
________________________
see more at: ilanwittenberg.com/bare-truth

21/01/2021

My story is full on, but it’s a journey which has made me stronger and got me to where I am today.
(c) Ilan Wittenberg
See more at www.ilanwittenberg.com


It began with my move up north to live with my then girlfriend. What I thought was going to be a mutual partnership turned out to be an expectation to become an instant dad overnight which at the age of 30 I wasn’t ready for. I was suddenly paying 500 p/wk in rent, working all day to bring home the paycheck, cooking and cleaning, making dinner – doing the works without any reciprocation. While I don’t mind contributing in a relationship, these expectations were too much for me, especially as I was recovering from stomach cancer at the time. The relationship deteriorated, resulting in me being kicked out overnight, causing me to live in my truck for a week without food or money.



I took a job that paid me 50% less than normal. It was disheartening, but I had to survive. This job also meant working 40hrs a week, but only getting paid enough to cover rent and buy 5 pies a week to keep me fed. This was during lockdown, so I ended up moving 4 times over this period in a state of alert.



The day before my birthday, after driving from Mangawhai to the Mount to collect some belongings, I crashed my ute after doing a 9hr day on the building site and 4 hours of driving. Along with the exhaustion, alcohol was a factor. I made a poor choice, but at the time, all I could think of was driving home or paying for a taxi and going hungry for a week. I chose to ensure I was still fed so I had the energy to work and get back on my feet. It was the wrong choice. When I crashed my truck, I died and had an out of body experience. I flew around my truck looking at my body as it hung over the steering wheel for 3 minutes. That’s a moment I’ll never forget.



As a result of the crash, I lost my license, my transport, my tools and my job (around $70K worth) and went hungry for another two weeks. To add to the stress, I had $1000 worth of bills to find a way to cover, with no way of working to help ease the burden.



I knew my life couldn’t continue on this trajectory. I needed to make some positive changes. I made a choice. I decided in addition to focusing on my building business, I also needed to focus on my health, both mentally and physically. I had gone through a lot, including working 18-hour days for the last year without any help of support from anyone, knowing I was very lucky to be alive.

I also needed a more permanent place to live. I don’t know if it was the negativity energy that was hanging around me at that time but I couldn’t seem to find a place to be settled. I kept moving into places that didn’t last and having to move out again. The repetitive cycle of sleeping in my car, going hungry and living paycheck to paycheck continued.

While this was happening, my business was taking off. I had 6 staff and 3 jobs on the go. But running a business while living in your car which was parked outside your gym, is not sustainable. I started expanding my business with the hope to sell cabins to pay for a place to live, food on the table and a new truck. My hard work paid off and I successfully expanded my business, my health improved, and I found a new place to live (I move in next week). I don’t know what the future holds, but I do know that I have lived a lifetime in the last few years. But I have also come out stronger. I have never stopped moving forward, and by refocusing my life, I have become someone that I am proud of today.

26/03/2020

"I am fascinated by the idea of performance. How do we communicate a lifetime of friendships, movie nights, shouting matches, education, sexual preferences, style inspirations and goosebump moments through pigment, fabric and body language? To say these things are frivolous and only the most shallow among us are preoccupied with the outer crust of ones fleshy body is to say that you’ve never decided between slacks and jeans for a job interview and you’ve never combed your hair before a date. We all aim to hone and polish our shell, particularly as we mature. As we settle into our bodies, we use our presentation to find other like minded people to pass the time with. At the end of our lives, our shells crack and slide away revealing the artifice of fleeting beauty. At which point, was it all a charade or a critical process in becoming a differentiated person? One in 7 billion, one in 100 billion of our merry troop of ancestors adorned in victorian corsets, silk kimonos and loincloths."
(c) Ilan Wittenberg
See more at: ilanwittenberg.com/bare-truth

17/03/2020

"I've never had the confidence to be in front of the camera or to have my photos taken until I got into the entertainment industry. This gave me more self belief in myself which has made me the man I am today. I am now not only working on myself to become the best version I can be, I also push and strive to be the best in every area or aspect of my life and will continue to do so every year.
The tattoo (Tā moko) on my left shoulder, gives me the strength to stand tall and take pride in what I do. With my family on my chest and my iwi Tainui, I will make my mark here in this universe and be sure to make my presence well known." Tainui is a tribal waka confederation of New Zealand Māori iwi. The Tainui confederation comprises four principal related Māori iwi of the central North Island of New Zealand: Hauraki, Ngāti Maniapoto, Ngāti Raukawa and Waikato.
Iwi are the largest social units in Aotearoa Māori society. The Māori-language word iwi means "people" or "nation", and is often translated as "tribe", or "a confederation of tribes".
(c) Ilan Wittenberg
See more at: ilanwittenberg.com/bare-truth

11/12/2019

"When I was seven years old I came home from school with my report card filled with C's and D's for achievement. My brothers, aged five, nine and thirteen all had always achieved straight A's. The worst part was that the school had also marked me for effort in class and they had given me mostly A's and B's when my brothers got mostly received B's and C's. This confirmed my worst fear, that I was stupid, that I was a failure and the my brothers were all better than me. I came to my mother crying, telling her I was "sorry" and "I would do better next year I promise". She read my report card and my brothers' report cards. She then told my father and everyone in the family that I had the best report card out of anyone that year.
As a reward I got to choose where we all were going for dinner and I was allowed to order as much of my favourtie food as I wanted. Before dinner my mother took me aside hugged me and said. "All that matters is your attitude and your effort, as long as that is high - you will always succeed"
I was also the only fat kid in the family, so I chose Ollies Ice Cream Parlor and I kept ordering chocolate dipped ice cream until I got sick.
I have a naturally slow metabolism and I suffer from Dyslexia - two things that none of my brothers have. However from this young age I internalized and practiced my mother's wisdom. Since then I have gone on to complete a law degree, work as a lawyer and work as a fitness model. As skillful and honorable as my brothers are, currently none of them work in professional services or look physically fit.
One of my life missions is to teach people to be happy and let them know they can achieve whatever they want in life, that hard work beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard. In 2020 I will start work as a criminal defense attorney where I will daily help people who are usually going through the worst time in their lives!"
(c) Ilan Wittenberg
See more at: https://ilanwittenberg.com/bare-truth

25/11/2019

"My name is Mike Cooper. I was born in 1949 and 70 years old. I'm flat lined with a heart attack ten years ago and have two stents in my heart! I am wearing a Medical alert bracelet on left wrist. On my right I'm wearing recycled beads - cleaning waste plastic from the oceans.
I am self-employed and using bacteria to reduce grease in the drains as well as NZ made and designed wool used mainly inside air filters to eliminate grease in the atmosphere in commercial kitchens.
I'm committed both in my business and my private life to protecting our precious and fragile environment.
Kia Kaha NZ"
See more at: ilanwittenberg.com/bare-truth
(c) Ilan Wittenberg