Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi: The exhibition is proof that life continues and that we go beyond the stage

"Xposure" ... documents the lives of people and the disappointments of "Corona"

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If the picture shortens 1000 words, then the fifth edition of the International Photography Festival "Xposure", which opened the day before yesterday, at the Expo Center Sharjah, presents thousands of stories and words, through its collection of more than 1500 pictures in 54 photo exhibitions, all of which deal a lot One of the issues that affect people's lives.

Perhaps the most prominent issues presented in the exhibition, which is organized with close regard to precautionary measures, are those that reflect the Corona pandemic and document many of the stages of dealing with it and its effects on societies, in addition to wars and their effects, and monitoring the aesthetics of wildlife and birds, to form in Its entirety is a window to hope and the will to live.

Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, Chairman of the Sharjah Media Council, told Emirates Today: “This exhibition is just as exceptional as this year is exceptional by all standards, and here it must be pointed out that photographers were always on the front lines, and when we were at home, They were facing the epidemic and taking documentary photos. ”

He added, "Life goes on ... and this exhibition is proof that life continues and that we go beyond the stage. The exhibition this year is greater than last year, so the number of participants is greater, and this is evidence of the public’s demand for it."

Regarding the selection of the participants, he pointed out that their selection in the exhibition is subject to many strict criteria, including the importance of diversification in the issues, and the transition takes place across categories from photographers of wars to photographers of reality and photographers of characters, with the aim of presenting very different and diverse works, and the audience's request is always considered The workshops and the public’s requirements are carefully examined and made available.

The Director of the Sharjah Government Media Office, Tariq Allai, told "Emirates Today": “What distinguishes the current edition of the festival is the content related to the (Corona) pandemic, whether from local or international photographers, in addition to important topics that talk about wars and humanitarian issues, Including the people of determination ».

He believed that "the educational aspect and specialized workshops are among the basics of the exhibition, especially as the exhibition carries special criteria for the selection of participants."

The exhibition was distinguished by the presence of many topics, which monitor the current conditions, and which proceed from suffering to offer hope, thus carrying scenes of wars and their effects, which appeared in the exhibition "Syria Under the Microscope" by the Russian photographer Sergey Ponomarev, who presented the destruction in Syria between 2013 and 2014, after he He tried a lot to reach Syria to take its pictures since the beginning of the state of destruction, as he has experience in photographing wars and revolutions, as he monitored the events of Egypt, moved to Libya, then moved to Syria and transmits its events with his lens.

These wars and their effects did not stop at this exhibition, as the work of the British photographer Claire Thomas, who monitored the reality in Iraq between 2016 and 2019, was shown in a special wing, as Iraq was facing ISIS, so she worked in the front rows as a photojournalist to take pictures. Related to the provision of medical treatment for civilians, who have suffered injuries as a result of the events that affected civilians.

The Corona pandemic, as the exhibition carried it in more than one pavilion, as fellow photographer Ashok Verma monitored sterilization operations in Sharjah at the beginning of the pandemic, and presented pictures that summarize the first stages of dealing with

Covid-19.

While the Ministry of Education in the UAE worked to present a set of pictures that summarize the forms of education and study, including pictures that highlight distance education during the current stage.

"Doctors without borders"

Doctors Without Borders, which is celebrating its 50th year, participated in a special pavilion for the exhibition, and its participation in the exhibition is the first of its kind. Nine of the 50 photos taken by international photographers were displayed in the pavilion.

The pavilion carries pictures of international photographers who monitored through their lenses the various topics, including the provision of "Covid-19" vaccines, as well as a picture of a patient who was injured by a bullet, and refugees trying to flee at sea, in addition to topics related to the organization's work, including the provision of "Ebola" vaccines, Next to a picture of a child injured in the Beirut port explosion.

The photos are from different countries, including Pakistan, Spain, Mexico, Belgium and Lebanon.

- The

exhibition features a variety of topics, which monitors the

current circumstances, which runs from the

suffering to offer hope.

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