Stulbach’s series Tel Aviv has captured the nightlife in moments of peace against what nightlife usually is (active and vibrant). The high-count, high-contrast photography has stripped the images of their colours instead, bringing the viewer to examine the light and shadow along with the compositional elements of the photos. Furthermore, many of the photographs utilise or replace humans with mannequins, which, due to their materiality, create a reflection of light which glows in the photographs.
Black and White centres the two mannequins while the extreme darkness removes the other elements that would suggest it to be a storefront. The mannequins are inanimate and still while expressionless, thus possibly alluding to conformity with consumer culture. Furthermore, instead of capturing bustling streets and active nightlife, Stulbach has captured the stillness and silence, which transforms the atmosphere of the series into one of contemplation.
Back and Front captures a much more lonely and sombre scene than Black and White. On one side, there is a close-up of a mannequin behind a storefront illuminated with light, and on the other side, there is a mannequin covered by shadow. Both mannequins are isolated and away from each other, which creates a sense of loneliness and isolation.
owever, as mentioned in the interview with Igal Stulbach, the mannequins are a form of ambiguity, allowing for open interpretation.
Succa shows a partially lit-up structure made up of square panels revealing what’s inside. There is a shadow of a person in the structure, with another person to the left of them. Compared to the previous photographs in the series, this one has a human inside of it. With this context, the structure looks more alive and less eerie.
In Shadows, the mannequins are cast against the shadow while one is enlightened by the lighting. The lighting in this work creates a slightly ghostly image of the mannequins as they lack a face and thus facial expressions, giving the scene a very liminal feel. In terms of contrast, the illumination of the mannequins against the solid black background allows for a silent and peaceful yet ghostly scene.
Ladies captures four mannequins in a more humanised setting than the previous photographs in the series. The lighting is much softer than in the previous works, and despite the mannequins being faceless, they look as if they are communicating with each other, thus seeming more lifelike.
In Promenade, darkness takes over most of the photograph, though it is contrasted greatly by the line of light from the promenade in the centre. There seems to be a couple walking together, with their outlines blurred by the darkness. This blurriness is apparent throughout the whole scene and creates a dreamy characteristic of the photograph—as though the scene is a memory.