[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on photography in and of the region and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the Photography Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each month’s roundup to photos@jadaliyya.com.]
Announcements
Biennial of Photography from the Contemporary Arab World Showing from 10 November 2015 - 17 January 2016, in Paris, France, this is a joint initiative of the Institut du Monde Arabe and the Maison Européenne de la Photographie to showcase the work of many photographers active since 2000.
Exhibition: Through Their Eyes: Moments Photographed by Syrian Children On 7 - 8 November, White Room DC, in Washington, DC, is presenting Lahza 2, a collaboration between UNICEF and the Lebanese NGO Zakira.
Exhibition: Ebrahim Noroozi: Mourners Showing from 6 - 16 November, Silk Road Gallery, Tehran, Iran.
Exhibition: Shadi Ghadirian Retrospective Showing from 8 October 2015 - 9 January 2016, Lyon Municipal Library, France.
Exhibition: Greetings to those Who Asked About Me Showing from 25 October - 3 December, at the Contemporary Image Collective, Cairo, Egypt. “The exhibition Greetings to those who asked about me brings together six art works and an oral history project addressing the issue of imprisonment with a particular focus on the Middle East and Africa.”
Exhibition: Arab Territories Showing from 7 November - 31 December 2015, at the Palais de la Culture El- Khalifa, Constantin, Algeria. “The exhibition Arab Territories focuses on the gaze and approaches of artists discussing territories in the Arab world. Artists shed light on geographical and linguistic aspects, on different paths, perspectives and personal stories.”
History, Theory, Criticism
Pictures of You Reorient magazine presents an interview by Joobin Bekhrad with artist Ania Dabrowska about her collaboration with photographer and photo collector Diab Alkarssifi and the resulting book A Lebanese Archive.
Studio Daze Reorient magazine presents an essay by Aimee Dawson subtitled “From ‘Scenes and Types’ to Shehrazade and El Sham: studio photography in the Arab world.”
Photographing the Refugee Crisis: The Significance of Less Context Reading the Pictures presents an essay by Robert Hariman about what we might be learning (or refusing to see) in the many circulating images of refugees crossing into Europe this summer and fall.
What the Image of Aylan Kurdi says About the Power of Photography Time Lightbox hosts a discussion between photo editors and experts about the photo taken on 2 September of the body of the 3-year-old Syrian boy found on the shores of Turkey.
Witness to Revolution: The Women of Iran 1979 The Telegraph newspaper presents photos and an article about Iranian photographer Hengameh Golestan’s never before seen photos of hundreds of thousands of women protesting the mandatory hijab ruling.
Libya
Desperate Crossing NYT Magazine presents an interactive story with video, photos, infographics, and text focusing on the journey of migrants using the treacherous Libya-Sicily sea crossing.
Blood and Human Trafficking in the Dustbowl of Libya Time Lightbox presents Swiss photojournalist Philippe Dudouit`s work documenting the long history of the tribal wars in Ubari.
A Libyan Militia Confronts the World’s Migrant Crisis The Washington Post presents photos and text about the north Libyan town of Zuwarah’s protests against smugglers amidst the growing migrant crisis.
Yemen
Sanaa: A City of Broken Glass and Shattered Hope Al Jazeera In Pictures takes a look at the people of Yemen amidst ongoing bombing and war.
Reconceptualising Yemen with Photography: An Interview with FRAME Yemen Middle East Monitor presents an interview with project co-founder Nina Aqlan about this photo action community documenting Yemen through various perspectives.
Bearing Witness to the Victims of Yemen’s “Forgotten War” Time Lightbox presents Russian photojournalist Maria Turchenkova`s photographs of the people of Yemen amid the current war.
Yemen’s Graffiti Movement Al-Monitor presents Mohammad al-Absi`s photographs of Yemen`s graffiti, which has become more and more political as artists struggle to respond to increasing violence.
Syria, Syrian Refugees and Migration
Scenes from a Human Flood NY Times Magazine presents photographs by Paolo Pellegrin of migrants who arived by sea on the Greek Island of Lesbos.
A Tragedy Unfolds on Lesvos New Yorker Photo Booth presents photos by Alex Majoli of Syrian, Afghan, and Somali refugees arriving by boats from Turkey.
On Migrant Trail, Melding Words and Images NYT Lens Blog presents photos capturing the daily struggles of migrants on their march through Europe.
In Syria’s Struggle, Memories of the Soviet Union NYT Lens Blog presents Sergey Ponomarev’s photographs of the destruction of people, history, and city structures in Syria.
Witnessing the Death of a Syrian Refugee in Calais Time Lightbox presents the story of a Syrian refugee. “It took less than two weeks for Nawall Al Jende, a 26-year-old mother of three from southeastern Syria, to travel through nine countries before arriving in the northern French port town of Calais.” But then disaster struck.
Meet the German Families That Opened Their Homes to Refugees Time Lightbox presents Danish photographer Joakim Eskildsen`s photographs of Syrian and Afghan refugees in Berlin documenting their experiences.
Egypt
See How Tourists Have Deserted Egypt’s Sinai Region Time Lightbox presents the work of photographer duo Andrea and Magda, who spent nine months capturing the startling downturn of the region.
Fire in Cairo: Revisiting the Revolution Time Lightbox presents images from photographer and artist Matthew Connors’ new book Fire in Cairo.
Making Egyptian “Sidewalk Stories” Part of the Global Anti-Harassment Discourse Your Middle East writes about the exhibition of photos by Sarah Selma of women who have experienced street harassment in Cairo.
Nada Elissa Blends Documentary, Conceptual Photography in Egypt Step Feed presents photos and article about Egyptian-French photographer Nada Elissa’s work blending fantasy and reality.
Felucca Exhibition: Evocative Study of Egypt’s Traditional Boats Fuses Photography and Painting Ahram Online presents a collaborative exhibition of Felucca paintings similar and yet different to their photographic counterparts, by painter Samah Emam and photographer Galal El-Missary.
Nubian Women in Post-Revolution Egypt Qantara presents photographs of Nubian women, whose community has been forcibly relocated away from their ancestral homeland.
The Sebou’: An Egyptian Baby Shower Mada Masr`s Panorama presents photographs of Egyptian Sebou’ celebrated by both Christians and Muslims, a tradition dating back to the time of the Egyptian pharaohs.
Elsewhere
Finding a Safe Haven In Iraq NYT Lens Blog presents Iraqi photo agency Metrography`s project "Map of Displacement," in which five Iraqi photographers docment the effects of displacement.
Photos from 1967 Reveal a Lost Culture in Iraq National Geographic interviews Norwegian photographer Tor Eigeland about his work with the Ma’dan community in southern Iraq that has drastically changed since Hussein’s dams diverted the Tigris and Euphrates. Includes images from his book When All the Lands Were Sea: A Photographic Journey Into the Lives of the Marsh Arabs of Iraq.
Hajj 2015 Al Jazeera In Pictures presents photos of Mecca from this year’s Hajj.
Inside the MSF Hospital in Kunduz Foreign Policy presents photos, and text, about the hospital in northern Afghanistan destroyed in US attacks.
Life on Hold for Iraqi Christian Refugees in Jordan Al Jazeera In Pictures presents photos of the refugees who live in Jordan to escape violence from the Islamic State of Iraq and ISIL.
The Festival of Eid-ul-Adha Qantara presents photos of people celebrating the Festival of Sacrifice.
Photographing Life, Love, and Laughter in Palestine Time Lightbox presents Tanya Habjouqa’s book Occupied Pleasures, which examines Palestinians’ ability to live joyfully while living under Israeli occupation.
Recent Jadaliyya Articles on Photography
Eyes on the Sea: Syrian Refugees Flee Egypt Photographs and text by Ebrahim Elmoly.
"We took the boat of death": Syrian Refugees Arrive in Austria Photographs and text by Jonathan Rashad.
Life in the Qandil Mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan Photographs and text by Linda Dorigo.