WASHINGTON, Aug. 25, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On
Nov. 18, 2016, the Newseum, in
partnership with the Annenberg Space for Photography, will open
"REFUGEE," a groundbreaking exhibit that illuminates the plight of
refugees through powerful and evocative photographs. In images
created solely for the exhibit by five internationally acclaimed
photographers who traveled across five continents — Lynsey Addario, Omar
Victor Diop, Graciela
Iturbide, Martin Schoeller
and Tom Stoddart
— "REFUGEE" depicts the lives of diverse populations
dispersed and displaced throughout the world and includes stunning
portraits of the new Americans, refugees recently settled in
the United States. The exhibit
will be on display through March 12,
2017.
Sixty-five million people around the world are displaced,
according to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees
(UNHCR). This exhibit presents a full range of global refugee
experiences through singular and compelling images taken in
Bangladesh, Cameroon, Colombia, Croatia, Germany, Greece, Mexico, Myanmar, Serbia, Slovenia and the
United States.
The photographs capture the hope and resolve of refugees in the
face of dehumanizing and life-threatening persecution.
"The Newseum is honored to host this important and commanding
exhibit that harnesses the power of images to inform, challenge and
provoke action on this global crisis that has affected lives across
the world," said Jeffrey Herbst,
president and CEO of the Newseum.
"REFUGEE," which premiered in April at the Annenberg Space for
Photography in Los Angeles, is the
first traveling exhibit the Newseum has hosted at its location on
Pennsylvania Avenue since the museum opened in 2008.
"On a hot-button issue like the global refugee crisis, it's easy
to get caught up in the partisan bickering, the fierce policy
arguments on both sides. In this powerful exhibit, I believe
we go much deeper than that — it explores the lives that are
upended, the profoundly human struggles and triumphs that are at
the core of these debates, in ways that only the very best
photographic art can do," said Wallis
Annenberg, chairman, president and CEO of the Annenberg
Foundation. "We believe it's stirring and unique work, which
takes us right into the beating heart of the crisis. We're
excited that it's coming to the Newseum, and hope it makes a small
difference in the heart of our nation's capital."
"This remarkable initiative is very timely, coming as violence
and human rights abuses uproot people around the world at an
unprecedented pace," said Filippo
Grandi, UN High Commissioner for Refugees. "The photographs
in this exhibit portray their courage, resilience and strength.
They show that this is not an anonymous movement; these are
ordinary people who have been forced to flee."
The exhibit features an original documentary — commissioned by
the Annenberg Space for Photography, produced by Tiger Nest Films
and narrated by UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Cate Blanchett — that
captures "REFUGEE" photographers at work on location, delving
further into the stories behind their images. Through a virtual
reality experience, visitors will also be able to experience what
life is like in a camp for internally displaced persons in Soacha,
Columbia.
The Artists
Pulitzer Prize and MacArthur Fellowship-winning photographer
Lynsey Addario documented the
Rohingya people, a disenfranchised Muslim population in the
predominantly Buddhist nation of Myanmar. Known for her captivating imagery in
such publications as The New York
Times, National Geographic and Time
magazine, Addario was recently named one of American Photo
Magazine's top five most influential photographers of the past
25 years.
Omar Victor Diop presents
photographs of refugees from the Central
African Republic who were forced to flee to Cameroon. Known for his work in fashion
photography, Diop's work comprises conceptual projects, including
staged portraiture and self-portraiture, with visual references
ranging from classical European paintings to post-colonial African
studio photography.
Fine-art photographer Graciela
Iturbide photographed settlements of Central American
refugees in Mexico and displaced
communities in Colombia. One of
the most prolific Mexican photographers of any generation, Iturbide
has participated in group exhibitions throughout the world.
Martin Schoeller's
detailed, close-range photographic portraits of everyday people,
iconic entertainment personalities and political and cultural
figures, as well as his photographic essays and books, have made
him a distinctive and singular presence in the field of
contemporary photographic portraiture. For "REFUGEE," Schoeller has
turned his unique stylistic lens to capture portraits of resettled
refugees in the United States for
a section of the exhibit titled "New Americans."
Tom Stoddart's
contribution is a photographic narrative of refugees arriving in
Greece in 2015 and traveling
through Croatia and Serbia to
Germany. "During my assignment I
saw once again the tired faces of desperate fathers trying to find
a place of safety and peace for their families, away from the bombs
and inhumanity of war," said Stoddart. "In Berlin, their faces had
changed. … There was still sadness at having to flee the country of
their birth, but also optimism and a determination to prosper and
contribute to a democratic society that had opened its doors and
given a warm welcome to homeless strangers."
About the Newseum
The Newseum is dedicated to
free expression and the five freedoms of the First Amendment:
religion, speech, press, assembly and petition. Headquartered on
historic Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., the Newseum's compelling,
dynamic and engaging exhibits, programs and education initiatives
help ensure that these fundamental freedoms remain strong and
protected both today and for future generations. The Newseum
Institute promotes the study, exploration and education of the
challenges confronting freedom through its First Amendment Center
and the Religious Freedom Center. The Newseum is a 501(c)(3) public
charity funded by generous individuals, corporations and
foundations, including the Freedom Forum. For more information,
visit newseum.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter and
Instagram.
About the Annenberg Space for Photography
The
Annenberg Space for Photography is a cultural destination dedicated
to exhibiting both digital and print photography in an intimate
environment. The space features state-of-the-art, high-definition
digital technology as well as traditional prints by some of the
world's most renowned photographers and a selection of emerging
photographic talents as well. The venue, an initiative of the
Annenberg Foundation and its trustees, is the first solely
photographic cultural destination in the Los Angeles area, and it creates a new
paradigm in the world of photography.
About UNHCR
The U.N. Refugee Agency UNHCR works worldwide to protect, assist
and find solutions for refugees, internally displaced people and
stateless populations. It has over 10,000 staff across 126
countries, many working in humanitarian emergencies and in close
proximity to regions of conflict.
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