Vestiges by Josef Koudelka
An unprecedented exploration of ancient Greek and Roman sites

Josef Koudelka

Since 1991, Josef Koudelka has embarked on a long and patient journey leading him through all twenty countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea and more than two hundred Greek and Roman archeological sites. This exploration is without precedent. No one before him has ever attempted to portray the vestiges of History through photography quite as extensively and with such persistence. In the nineteenth century, Romantic painters had a predilection for ruins. Their paintings glorified this melancholy atmosphere. Koudelka also creates images of ruins. However, he is not a Romantic and does not need melancholy to inspire his art. These relics are not the poignant remains of things that die. They are signs of a situation that art seeks to recreate in the present. (…). Extract from an introduction by Bernard Latarjet

Was born in Czechoslovakia in 1938. His first photographs were taken while he was working as an aeronautical engineer. He followed Czechoslovakian Gypsies until 1970 and photographed theatrical performances. He became a full-time photographer in 1967. In August 1968, he took photographs of Warsaw Pact troops invading the streets of the Czechoslovakian capital and putting an end to the Prague Spring. Initially anonymous, his images were published around the world. They earned him the Robert Capa Prize. In 1974, he became a member of Magnum Photos. In 1975, an important exhibition of his work took place at the New York Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). Ever since, his works have been shown in numerous exhibitions around the world including the Hayward Gallery in London, the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam and the Palais de Tokyo in Paris to name a few. His most important publications are Gypsies (1975- 2011), Exiles (1988-2015), Chaos (2000), Invasion Prague 68 (2008), Lime (2012) and Wall (2013).

Menya’s Kids

Myriam Abdelaziz

When most Egyptians think of child labor, the image that comes to mind is of a young, dirty-faced mechanic’s apprentice lying under a car to help his mentor. Although the picture may be heartbreaking, those kids could be considered among the luckier child workers compared to the majority of children who work under extreme and dangerous conditions. The working conditions of child labor in the quarries of Menya are much harder and dangerous, as the children working there have to handle primitive and very dangerous stone cutting machinery. The hazards caused by the blades and defective electric connections occur daily and often lead to death while the dust they inhale develop severe respiratory and pulmonary diseases.

A French photographer of Egyptian origins and born in Cairo. Myriam’s work tells stories of its participants. Her inquiry into the stories of people takes her around the globe searching for stories that overcome physical and cultural barriers and often reveal what we have in common. Her work was published in prestigious International magazines, as well as featured in various solo and group exhibitions in Europe, the Middle East and the USA. Member of “RAWIYA” since 2011

I Read I Write

Laura Boushnak

The project documents stories of women in various Arab countries, who are turning into education as a first step to improve their lives. The series focuses on a particular issue surrounding literacy in each of the countries visited, to highlight similarities and, and most importantly, the differences between them owing to economical and social factors. These issues include female illiteracy, which is quite high in the region; educational reforms; programs for dropout students; and political activism among university students.

A Kuwaiti-born Palestinian photographer, whose work focuses on women, literacy and education reform in the Arab world. After completing a BA in sociology at the Lebanese University, Boushnak began her photography career covering news for the Associated Press in Lebanon. She later worked as a photo editor and photographer for Agence France-Presse (AFP) at its Middle East hub in Cyprus and its headquarters in Paris. Her photographs have been published in the New York Times, The Guardian, The National Geographic, Le Monde and many more. Since 2008 Laura has been working as an independent photographer. A founding member of "Rawiya".

SAYEDA, Women in Egypt

Amelie Losier

SAYEDA is photography work about egyptian women: by flying several times to Egypt, Amélie Losier made portraits of egyptian women combined with interviews and reportage. A lot of people in Egypt are fighting against the violation of human rights and especially women's rights. In her work, Losier approachs egyptian women from different social environments, whose position in the society is depending on religion, education, age and their socioeconomic situation, in light of the question: what does it mean to be a woman in Egypt today? In 2014 and 2015 she received the support of the german foundation VG Bild-Kunst, the scholarship Grenzgänger from the Literarisches Colloqium Berlin and the Robert Bosch Foundation, as well as the support of Goethe Institute Cairo.

Studied documentary photography with Arno Fischer in Berlin. Street photography, portrait-reportages and multimedia storytelling are her main focus. She is most interested in photographing people in their self-contained world. Amélie Losier is now living and working as a freelance photojournalist for the press and culture institutions and develops her own projects from Berlin.

In Vitro

Ivana Panizzi

Bottles have always fascinated me. Beyond their multiple uses, they are constantly present in our good or bad moments, in the big celebrations, on special occasions. By replacing the liquid with photos and since 2000 my idea has been presented around the world with different approaches and insulations. This exhibition shows the conceptual idea of the human effect on water and nature, presented with nature images inside the empty bottle with huge tower bottle installations.

Born in Poços de Caldas, Brazil. She graduated on Plastic Arts at the "Instituto Superior de Arte" in Havana, Cuba, where she also studied Cinema and Television. Her work is characterized by researching and recycling of non-conventional materials, either on her paintings or on her objects and installations.

Lahza 2

By Zakira Association Lebanon, supervised by Ramzi Haidar. “Lahza 2” which lasted for almost a year, provided 500 Syrian refugee children, aged 7 to 12, with basic information about cameras and basic training in photography before leaving them with their five hundred cameras to record their daily lives and explore their abilities and talents. A book entitled “Lahza 2”, was published. This book contains a collection of the best photos taken by the Syrian refugee children.

Brazilian Group

Communication between photographers: The future of the image
Curator - Renato Negrão
Poetic way of seeing cities
Paola Geoffroy, Gustavo Taouil, Gabriela de Barros,
Luiz Maldonennet, Anderson Coimbra
Problems of big cities
Manu Mesquita, Vanessa Dutra, Ro-drigo Marrano
Recalling memories
Tiago Dotta, Adriana Queiroz, Giancar- lo Ceccon
Social problems
Isabel Gonçalez