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Why Mister, Why? and
Baghdad Calling
GEERT VAN KESTEREN
Preview: 02 October 6-9pm
03 October 08 - 16 November 08
Wednesday - Sunday 11am-5pm
White Night: 25 October 08 / 7pm-midnight (full details below)
At: Lighthouse
FREE
Geert van Kesteren (NL) has established himself as one of the most thoughtful and innovative photojournalists working today. He has used his pictures in books and in large multimedia installations comprising live data feeds. His book, Why Mister, Why? is one of the few photographic books to attempt a political and synthetic view of the Iraq war. It tracks the brutal tactics of the coalition forces, the many humiliations of life for ordinary Iraqis under the occupation, Shia religious ceremonies and the unearthing by relatives of the mass graves of victims of the Saddam Hussein dictatorship.
With Baghdad Calling, Van Kesteren worked with Iraqi refugees, millions of whom have been scattered across the globe by the conflict in one of the largest humanitarian crises of modern times. He became fascinated by their use of phone images through which they communicated with each other and those that remained in Iraq. These images, sometimes mundane shots of family life made poignant by circumstances of separation, sometimes images of bombings and other killings, are contrasted with Van Kesteren’s own eloquent photographs of the conditions of the refugee. The exhibition of Baghdad Calling extends out of Lighthouse and into Jubilee Square, where four billboard-sized photographs will be displayed for the duration of the Biennial. These images have been taken from a selection of photographs, collected by Van Kesteren, made by Iraqi refugees using their mobile phones as part of Baghdad Calling.
For the Biennial, Van Kesteren will made installations of both sets of work, the first time they were seen together.
Brighton Photo Biennial 2008, entitled, Memory of Fire: the War of Images and Images of War, is curated by Julian Stallabrass and explores photographic images of war, their making, use and circulation, and their currency in contemporary society. Stallabrass presents photography, film and online material produced and circulated in time of war, and explores how images have been shaped by the changing social and political conditions from the Vietnam era to the present. The exhibitions will include images produced by photojournalists, artists and non-professionals.
For this third edition, the Biennial extends its geographical boundaries to include nine venues across the South East coast from Bexhill on Sea to Portsmouth. Three venues, including the major exhibition, are in Brighton. Free admission to all exhibitions.
BPB 2008 reaches the vast online community through a new website that functions as a platform for ideas and discussion around the theme of photography and conflict. Participate and have your say by posting a comment at: www.bpb.org.uk/2008
White Night : 25th October 08 - 7pm - midnight
BPB venues Lighthouse, Fabrica and University of Brighton Gallery opened their doors until late in the night. With two special artist led tours that draw connections between the exhibitions plus a late night debate 'Make Love Not War'.
Follow the Exhibitions Archive link on the left for information
about past exhibitions. |
