meeting place

Suaad, Kuljen, and Yaser are Syrian nationals who currently reside in a refugee camp in Iraqi Kurdistan. They are grandmothers and mothers and fathers, members of a global community that find themselves physically displaced, politically disenfranchised, and socially misunderstood. Conversation and proximity change everything; the way you approach an individual, the way you understand an issue, the way you pose solutions. Meeting Suaad, Kuljen, and Yaser in the summer of 2021—sharing meals and laughing about family over tea—showed me the power of relationship. We hold the ability to impact each other through stories and connection, and thus, affect our broader communities.

 

Visual storytelling has historically been a form of education and bridge-building. There has, however, often been no avenue for communication between the viewer and those depicted. This project is centered around a mutual interaction between viewer and subject, facilitated through video interview and written response. This audiovisual component, which was created in collaboration with an Iraqi videographer and a Kurdish translator, stands in for a true interaction with the subject. The photographs show quiet moments from the daily routine of Suaad, Yaser, and Kuljen to offer an alternative to sensational media reporting on their community. This reciprocal communication will emphasize the way that visual storytelling can be a unique method of relationship-building. 

 

The stories through which we understand the world shape us. Suaad, Kuljen, and Yaser shared their time and wisdom with me, and are now sharing it with you. Meeting Place begins an exploration into how social understanding can be developed through the relationship between photographer, subject, and viewer, all of whom meet at the photograph. 

 

​
 

A special thanks to the following people who played an invaluable role in the making of Meeting Place.

 

Rawan Al-Juboori, videographer 

Fadia Abdullah, translator and coordinator 

Kayla Hatcher, coordinator