The Middle-Eastern Conflict and the Image of the Other
The Middle-Eastern Conflict and the Image of the Other

The War Photography and Reframing of Perspectives

Summary/Abstract: We are all familiar with the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East – the Syrian war being perhaps the most tragic event – the refugee crisis and the terrorist threat. But from the Western point of view, it seems that the turmoil is somehow connected to the area. And this sometimes leaves us too indifferent to the real suffering of people just because these people are from an alien and doomed land. It seems like the violence happening in this area cannot be understood in its full extent and this becomes clear when we parallel the reactions to the conflicts happening there and the terrorist attacks in the West. This paper argues that photography can alter our perspectives and make realities that seem far out of reach look closer to us. We are examining the work of five artists that try to cope with their own traumatic experiences and open for us new perspectives on a crisis that has already last for too long.

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