Page 23 - 10th Annual International Charles Town Maroon Conference and Festival Magazine

Charles Town Maroon International Conference Magazine June 2018

DESPATCHES FROM DISPLACEMENT:

Citizen Media in Syria

Omid Tofighian, American University in Cairo/University of Sydney

Syrian child crossing under a fence to reach a school
where clothes are distributed for free. Zaatari Camp,
Northern Jordan - 12/01/2015
Photographer: Tamer Turkman • Email: [email protected]

Citizen despatches from sites of terror, aggression and the creative forms of resistance, community vitality,
displacement take many creative forms and utilise art and intellectual vision of Syrian people who are
practices, galleries, public spaces, the internet and trapped by campaigns of state oppression in the form
social media. In 2017 producer and filmmaker Maher of war on civilians -and also those pushed out,
Jamous curated a photography exhibition at the displaced and exiled.
University of Sydney as part of the event Trapped
In/Pushed Out: Border Politics in the US and A significant number of images were from the south-
Australia. Jamous fled Syria in 2012 but continues to western Syrian region of Ghouta which has been experi-
work with colleagues in his homeland and those encing frequent shelling, bombing and ground attacks.
displaced in neighbouring countries.The show was
part of a program organised by the Sydney Asia Pacific Images and commentary about Trapped In/Pushed Out
Migration Centre (SAPMiC) and featured Australian circulated on social media with an enthusiastic
and international speakers. response from Syrian people in different parts of the
world. With many artists originating from Ghouta it
The exhibit showcased 30 images by 20 photographers was not surprising to see the sense of pride and
from among Maher’s network. These are testament to empowerment felt by locals hailing from the area.

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