“Gap - War on Freedom”
"Gap": That's the name of the photo exhibit that opened last Friday, 10 March, at the former Sultanmarkt in Flensburg. Qais Hatefi curated the photo exhibit under the supervision of Svea Taubert as an independent undergraduate project for the "Doing Europe" module of EUF's European Cultures and Society degree program.
Mr. Hatefi was financially supported by the Menschenwürdiges Leben foundation, which promotes projects related to issues of social justice, refugee aid and environmental awareness.
The title "Gap" refers to a gap in media coverage of conflicts, wars and armed conflicts. Certain conflicts, says Qais Hatefi, who himself fled Afghanistan, appear more important to and of higher priority than others by the media. "Our perception of conflicts, crises and human suffering is largely based on how they are represented in the media. Media selection and representation of content shape public awareness of the cultural and geopolitical valuation of human rights movements worldwide," explains Hatefi. Against this hierarchization of news reports, the exhibition in cooperation with the association 8001 shows photos by six press and art photographers, photos from Ukraine, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iran and Somalia. The selected international artists show their own perspectives on human rights violations and movements in their home countries, regardless of how they are portrayed in traditional media.
A tribute to courageous protesters
Qais Hatefi conceived the exhibit as a tribute to the resistance of Ukrainians against the Russian occupation, and to courageous protesters in Iran and Afghanistan, Somalia and Lebanon, among others. A tribute to the efforts and sacrifice of all people fighting for freedom of thought and expression and other essential democratic values.
The exhibition "Gap - War on Freedom" can be seen until March 14 at the Ex-Sultanmarkt in Neustadt 26 in Flensburg.
