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KITES, GUNS and DREAMS –
Images of Afghanistan by Canadian documentary photographers |
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The images in Kites, Guns and Dreams span a decade of Afghanistan’s long and difficult history, focusing primarily on civilian life caught in the crossfire, in both the literary and political sense. In the words of Roger
LeMoyne: “The theme of war's civilian victims seemed to be thrust upon me as I traveled to areas of conflict. The fate of civilians was inescapable and magnetically drew the camera.”In the documentary narrative that brings in a counterbalance to the sketchy rendering of the news clips, the subjects become memorable. Amidst the heart-breaking devastation of their beautiful land, present in almost every frame, the images in this exhibition document with equal precision the exotic, the prosaic and the horrific in everyday life of Afghan people. “Truly wonderful photography.” – Robin Stickley, Global TV “L'angle est journalistique, mais les regards sont avant tout ceux de trois hommes et d'une femme, émus et étonnés. Ils ont composé un panorama de l'Afghanistan d'aujourd'hui, nous confrontant à un paradoxe qui provoque un important débat intérieur devant la légèreté et la peur inextricablement confondues.” "Every war gets its own look, in part due to geography, the level of danger and access provided the photographers. Every war also gets its own censorship. More than one veteran photographer I know has told me that the shots taken during World War II were so horrifying the were forbidden to be processed. Kites, Guns and Dreams is significant for its inside look and its intimacy, as if censorship was never a question, although the work covers the country's triple transformation over the span of a decade." – Peter Goddard, Toronto Star "Such is the incongruity of Afghanistan—a place where children flew kites even though they could be beaten or worse. In these photos, they do handstands, balance butterflies on their noses and swing like monkeys amid bombed-out shells of buildings. Their home is a place of eerie beauty, even though the lampposts that remain are so bullet-ridden they look like cheese graters and destroyed Russian tanks still sit in the street where they died decades earlier." – Marlin Smulders, The Daily News KITES, GUNS and DREAMS catalogue designed by Matt Warburton won the Gold Award at the international Summit Creative Awards as well as 2005 Lotus Award |
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DOCUMENTS and DREAMS – Exhibition of Canadian documentary
photography
Bfly Atelier, Vancouver, November 2003 |
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| DOCUMENTS and DREAMS gave evidence on the
vitality and enduring relevance of contemporary photo documentary in Canada.
It featured a single image from in-depth projects by 35 established and
emerging Canadian photographers.
Photo: Beverley Abramson “With its images of poverty, defiance and incongruity, the photo exhibition Documents and Dreams reveals the world in a way seldom seen in mainstream media.” – Jennifer Van Evra, Vancouver Sun “The breadth of the projects and artists represented is vast and impressive.” – Alexandra Gill, Globe and Mail “A dedicated minority yearn for a return to the past when photo documentarians like Walker Evans and Dorothea Lange invested months of their time – and immeasurable energy – in their subjects. Narrative 360 is a group of Canadian documentarians who have dedicated themselves to these types of longer personal projects and labours of love.” – Tracy Doyle, MacLean's “Images you won't forget both powerful, beautiful” – Marilyn Smulders, The Daily News Graphic designer Matt Warburton won an Award of Merit at the prestigious Lotus Awards for the DOCUMENTS & DREAMS exhibition catalogue | |||||
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WHERE FIRE SPEAKS – Documentary narrative by David Campion and Sandra Shields | ||||
Sandra Shields and David Campion spent two months living with the Himba,
and this book, a provocative melding of photography and narrative, tells
of the profound changes in the lives of the Himba. |
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Interview with Robert Semeniuk | ||||
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Robert Semeniuk, a renowned Canadian documentarian, human and environmental rights activist, has worked in over 80 countries for most of the world's major magazines. As a photographer and writer he has received numerous awards, including multiple top honours from The National Magazine Awards, The Science Writers Association and The Canadian Association of Journalists. |
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In the Tyee magazine – David Beers talks to the makers of "The Corporation" | ||||
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Finbarr Wilson – Reconsidering Sontag on Photography and War | ||||
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Art Perry – Separate Worlds | ||||
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Robert Jensen – Objectivity routines and the Missing Context | ||||
