“Xposure 2018” Captures Hope in Darkest Places from Baghdad to Afghanistan

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The ability to adapt is one of humankind’s most notable traits. From surviving nature’s wrath to clawing back life from underneath the rubbles of conflict zones and wars, people find the will to survive a day at a time.

Xposure 2018 is showcasing inspiring works carried out by three renowned international photographers who documented the innate capabilities of mankind to survive and adapt despite being surrounded by violence, despair and destruction.

Tinged with an ember of hope, the three exhibitions highlight the other side of the story. They visually narrate how people of all ages manage to carry on their day amidst the deadliest of conflicts in which they have no stake in. The hardships of constantly being on the move from sunrise till the late hours of the night, seeking temporary refuge near borders and sleeping with the sky as their blanket while dreaming of returning home, mark the fragile existence of those affected by war in the world.

IRAQ THROUGH THE LENS

Iraqi photojournalist Maan Habib chose “Eye on Iraq” as the title of his exhibition at Xposure 2018. This year, he displays 20 pictures which narrate a visual story to reflect the nonviolent reality of everyday life in his home country. The story documents the daily life, challenges, and hope of Iraqis. Each photo narrates the unique backstory of a person or several individuals with impact.

Eye on Iraq is a long-term project that tells the stories of people to the world and inspires others to use their skills in a way that can help others. From Baghdad, a city that embraces life, Habib captures residents going on with their daily lives, after war and bombings. A picture of 55-year-old Khaddrrah Abdullah, who lost sight in the right eye during the 2003 invasion, with her husband in 2006, portrays an aspiration for a beautiful post-war future and hope. Meanwhile, a portrait of an old man gazing into the horizon at the shrine of Sheikh Abdul Qader Algilani depicts a silent prayer for peace and serenity to blanket a town ravished by the roaring sounds of mortars and bullets.

Habib’s lenses travelled far and wide across his beloved country. He made a stop at the drying marshlands to capture the ebb of water and hope of residents. The drought caused by climate change, increased temperatures that cross 50° C/120°F, and pollution resulting from excessive salts and heavy metals are vividly expressed on their hardened expressions and bleak outlook. The plight of the marshland made residents flee into neighbouring towns and villages seeking better living conditions.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning photographer Essdras M Suarez presents 33 photographs in his “Moments” exhibition. Through his lens, he documents surreal moments in Iraq, Cuba, Guatemala, Haiti and Palestine.

In his Iraq collection, he focuses on the innocence of children standing in a line of fire, watching soldiers on guard with their rifles loaded and aimed. Another picture from Gaza shows a group of Palestinian fighters taking rest before their exercise drills resume. The pinnacle of his exhibition is a heart-wrenching picture of a Guatemalan family mourning their 14-year-old child who died in a car accident while being smuggled to the USA.

EVERYDAY REFUGEES

Making its debut appearance at Xposure, “Everyday Refugees,” a Dutch non-profit organisation that aims to document, help, educate and empower refugees and internally displaced people, is participating with three pictures under the title “Everyday Refugees”, taken by Muhammed Muheisen, a two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning Palestinian photojournalist who has been documenting refugee camps in Jordan, Greece, Serbia, and all over the world for over a decade.

In the first picture, 21-month-old Afghani Anna Rahmoni sleeps under an outdoor mosquito net to escape heat trapped inside her family’s tent in Malakasa camp, north of the Greek capital. A picture of Zahra, a 7-year-old Syrian refugee, held by her 13-year-old sister Fatimah outside their tent in an informal settlement on the outskirts of Mafraq, Jordan, is also on display. The final contribution is a picture taken in Belgrade, Serbia, portraying refugees praying in a makeshift mosque, trying to find solace and a moment of peace in their diaspora.

Organised by Sharjah Government Media Bureau, Xposure 2018 is held at Expo Centre Sharjah and is open to all until November 24. There are more than 700 prints by over 90 photographers across 46 exhibitions. Each exhibition tackles a different theme and aspect of human life and inspiration. You can find more information on the website: xposure.ae.