Her, Allure
15 – 19 OCTOBER 2024
GALA Launch 18.00 WEDNESDAY 16 OCTOBER 2024
Photo Museum Ireland is delighted to present the premiere of Ruth Medjber’s Her, Allure (2024), a visual journey through the landscapes and moments that have shaped her life. The work presents a series of evocative and striking images, featuring rich colours and dynamic compositions. Medjber has a talent for conveying deep emotions and compelling narratives, simultaneously intimate and powerful.
For Medjber, ALLURE is more than a fleeting feeling—it is a force that has propelled her across Ireland, guiding her to pivotal places in her life. This photographic odyssey reflects on the paths she has taken—choices defined by a restless curiosity and a rejection of convention. In this new work, we see Medjber’s interpretation of ALLURE as an ancient energy, a nomadic instinct that urges us to move, to seek, and to connect.
At the heart of this series is MayKay, a close friend and musician, who becomes the embodiment of ALLURE itself. Her presence in these images reflects Medjber's own impulse to surrender to life's flow—embracing adventure and spontaneity over stability. This persona invites us to consider the allure of an uncharted life, one that embraces the joy, danger, and uncertainty of constant movement.
“What began as a commission from Peugeot to simply "capture ALLURE" quickly evolved into a reflection on my life—the paths I’ve taken, the choices I’ve made, and the decisions that will shape my future. It is a force that compels me to explore new places and connect with new people, even in moments of deep uncertainty. ALLURE embodies my yearning for a life fuelled by the freedom to wander, to remain ever-dynamic and in motion. My journey, however, has always followed a different path: one of movement, curiosity, and change. Each of us has our own unique sense of ALLURE, beckoning to us, whether we choose to listen or not.”
Born and raised in Dublin, Ruth Medjber has built an extraordinary career at the intersection of live music, portraiture, and storytelling. From shooting global icons like Grace Jones and Beyoncé, to her celebrated pandemic project Twilight Together, Medjber’s work consistently captures moments of raw intimacy and human connection. ALLURE is a continuation of this theme—an exhibition that dares us to follow our own instincts, wherever they may lead.
Ruth Medjber_ALLURE1 © Ruth Medjber
HER, ALLURE Programme of FREE events
Exhibition Premiere and Gala Launch: 6.00pm on Wednesday 16 October
Photo Museum Ireland will celebrate the official opening of Her, Allure by Irish photographer Ruth Medjber. This is an invitation only event.
Quiet hours or Sensory-Friendly Hours: Thursday 17 October
Quiet hours are specifically designed to welcome people who will benefit from a quieter visit environment, including people with an Autism Spectrum Condition, sensory and communication disorders, or a learning disability. Photo Museum Ireland provides sensory borrow bags, communication cars and ear defenders for our visitors should they require it.
Artist Led Exhibition Tours: Friday 18 October
Schools, colleges and local camera clubs will be offered a guided tour by Ruth with opportunities to ask questions. Appointments by email to info@photomuseumireland.ie.
Artist Talk: 1pm on Saturday 19 October
Join us for an in-depth discussion with Ruth & Maykay about the project. Maykay will also be interviewing Ruth about her career to date, exciting chapters in her life such as photographing Glastonbury and touring the world with Hozier. This session will be followed by a Q&A and a chance to individually meet and chat with Ruth.
Places are limited. Admission if free, booking is required. Use the link below reserve a place.
Ruth Medjber
Ruth Medjber, a Dublin native with a global reach, embarked on her photographic journey at the tender age of three when her father gifted her a plastic camera. As she pursued an honours degree in Photography at Dublin Institute of Technology, Medjber opened her first portrait studio in the heart of Dublin. Combining her love of live music and passion for photography, Medjber quickly made a name for herself in the industry, working with prominent magazines like Hot Press, Rolling Stone, and NME. Her dynamic portfolio features iconic images of Grace Jones, Beyoncé, Metallica, and the Foo Fighters, and includes extensive coverage of the Glastonbury Festival for the BBC.
Currently, she is on a worldwide tour photographing Hozier. In 2020, as the music industry came to a halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Medjber turned her lens to a new project titled "Twilight Together," capturing intimate portraits of people through their windows at twilight. This series, now published as a book by Penguin, has become one of the defining portrait collections of our time. Ruth loves the smell of darkroom chemicals, hates tinnitus, and until the age of five, believed her father saw the world in sepia tones due to his darker Algerian complexion.
Medjber Pronounced: Medj (like "hedge") Ber (like "teddy").
