For those in London this month, make sure to check out "Beware the Cost of War," a new photo exhibition organized by Yoav Galai, a young award-winning Israeli photographer now living in England.
I asked Yoav about the exhibit and here's what he wrote:
"The exhibition is something I wanted to do for a very long time.
"As an Israeli press photojournalist I was embedded with the IDF during the 2006 conflict in Lebanon. We came under heavy fire, and some of the soldiers around me were injured. (Yoav Galai photo, left)
"I quickly learned that it was a friendly fire incident that caused the casualties, but this simple fact was impossible to introduce along with the images, which by now had a life of their own.
"They were hijacked for different narratives wherever they were published, and no one seemed to like the simple truth that these soldiers were injured by friendly fire and therefore could not reach the consequential realization - that it doesn’t really matter who did it.
"Such is the nature of conflict.
"People find their death by mistake or miscalculation as often.
"This is the cost of war.
"This exhibition tries to tear the images from any narrative and challenge the viewer to focus on the experience of being caught amidst violence, just like the subject, just like the photographer.
"Fourteen photographers from Gaza, Israel and the West Bank present the true, bloody face of conflict in a powerful and graphic exhibition.
"Palestinian photographers Mohammed Abed, Abid Katib (photo right), Mahmud Hams, Khalil Khamra, Fady Adwan, Jafar Ishtayeh and Eman Mohammed introduce the raw images taken in Gaza and the West Bank, especially those taken during the Israeli operation “Cast Lead” in Gaza.
"Israeli photographers Lior Mizrahi, Amit Shabi, Uriel Sinai, Tomer Appelbaum, Haim Zach and myself show images taken within Israel and during the conflict in Lebanon.
"Between the images we will print unattributed testimonies of survivors and relatives of those who fell victims.
"During the term of the exhibition, participating photographers from both sides will give slide-show presentations, reclaiming their images and showing the context within which they were taken.
"This will be a rare opportunity to hear from those whose back yards are their front lines, as they introduce us to their catalog of images that so rarely get featured in the Western press.
"Such cooperation would not have been possible without the resources and atmosphere of the Olive Tree program in City University, and the tireless support of its director Dr. Rosemary Hollis. Olive Tree scholars are Gazans, West Bankers and Israelis who participate in discussions and social activities on a daily basis."
The exhibition opens on Friday, Oct. 23 in London's Blackall Studios. Check out "Beware the Cost of War" for more info...
Photo: Uriel Sinai
Photo: Fady Adwan
Photo: Uriel Sinai
