THE CONVERT CIRCLE

BY DANIEL GENTELEV

Daniel Gentelev was Born in 1983, Russia. In 1992 he immigrated to Israel with his family.
After his service in the IDF, he travel to South America and became interested deeply in the medium of photography.
He attended and graduated from “Bezalel” Academy of Arts and Design” photography department. He took part in Bezalel's exchange program for merit students in the third year and study at the VSUP-Academy of Arts, Architecture & Design in Prague.
His personal work known for his (mostly) square photographic portraits of adolescence and interior life.
He worked on documentary film sets as assistant cameraman and as a freelance photographer in Theater. He had his first group exhibition at the "Farkash" gallery Tel-Aviv and has been shown around several art Magazines and group exhibition around Europe.
He lives and works in Berlin and his work depicted social and classical subject matters.

synopsis
”In making and presenting the photographs of the series, i am trying to tell a story that is based on actual events. I view the central events as a domain of my inspiration work in the community of regressive Christian in the basque country who defy western description and required to leave absolutely everything behind. in this alleged cult, everything held in common and as you integrate the group more, more conditions and rules are laid on you, such as relinquish your possessions, etc.
The whole community lives in one big house with rooms for the parents, room for the children. married couple share a room with their children. daily activities start at 6 in the morning. it is then that teaching are given and people are pray and dance. for this 70 group of people who more than half are children, consider themselves the only true Christians and believe in Yahshua, Jesus by his Hebrew name.
Outside world is unwholesome. and according to that it is the best way to keep the children apart from the reality that doesn't agree with their beliefs. so anything different is taken out of the books.
The community force the children to work from a very young age. they have censored to avoid any theory from outside world. instead of that, they stay at home to perform different chores. the girls are in charge of household and the boys are assigned tasks such as preparing the firewood or carpentry. many of these children are born there and don't know any other environment. this is their only world, the only reality. young people are not allowed to make bonds with other young people their age outside.”