Tuesday, December 1, 2015

Syrian Girl + Flower, Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, Summer of 2009


This is the face of the Syrian refugee crisis. Although the portrait was made over seven years ago, she was living in Lebanon along with her family as economic refugees. They were from Halab, a city now laying in ruins. When people speak of the refugee crisis, she is about whom they are speaking. The war, the violence, the hatred, the disassociation and the rejection are cruelest to her and those like her… for they have contributed nothing to any of these nouns.

My hope is that the next time someone speaks of the refugees, that they make the time to look at them as individuals rather than as a collective, and to think twice before repeating some phrase or quoting some so-called pundit.

Our show at the Cleveland Print Room in less than three weeks is dedicated to her and those like her in Rajasthan, India. My hope is that the world becomes less cruel, and more open to the simple gesture of a flower placed under the shawl of this priceless girl.

Note: This image was made with a Hassselblad 555 ELD/180 mm combination onto Fuji Neopan Acros 100 ISO film.

4 comments:

  1. i share your hope to the fullest, even though (or rather because) i partly live in a country that closes eyes (and borders) completely against the requirements of the world's refugees and calling it "non-alignment" (switzerland) and partly in a country that was open to act as a humane and save place to those who run from war and opression but now slowly turns into selfish nation-thinking right-wingers that scare to share what the have only to a little extent, not only money or space of living but love, understanding and respect (germany). i not only live 'between' these two coutries but don't know how to live among one of them.

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    1. You have always been a person I adore and admire, and even more so now after reading your words above. Just like in your country, there are many here in the States who are more than unwilling to do the same, to close their eyes and our borders to these suffering people. My family fled Lebanon for very much the same reason and this country, back then, took us in with open arms. Now it seems that, even though this country bears a great responsibility for the injustices occurring in the middle east, it has turned a blind eye to it all. Let's hope for a better world dear sister, where such injustices are rare, and love flourishes.

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  2. i was born in gdr and therefore i can undertstand that to some extent. because, even i never was a refugee i had been treated like one time and again even many years after the wall came down and i lived in the western part by being asked harshly for assimilation and gratitude, rejected from renting an apartment, insulted and teased etc. since i started working in switzerland it happens again for being german in the first place, for being from the gdr secondary. therefore i more more and more became sensitive towards issues of foreigners in a country, anyway if they come for work, for a better living or run from war and opression. it needs not much that people turn their minds from inviting and friendly to repellent and hating, even towards people from their own race, religion, culture or country. i always asked myself repeatedly when those tiny, dump and insignificant incidents happened to me, what a refugee from syria, marokko, albany, algeria or india is forced to suffer from pepople who live in the wealthiest countries in the world, who have literally everything and above to share. i only can fail to really understand that.

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    1. Your memories are very touching to me dear sister, for they remind me very much of my experiences as well. You write so beautifully and with such heart, helps the reader almost see it from your point of view. You are so right of course in my humble opinion, and are an inspiration for me to continue to do more for the very people you and I love, respect and admire.

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