Photography Exhibition by Vassil Karkelanov on June 2nd  at 6pm in Trakart Cultural Center

 

“I mainly work in fashion and advertising photography, but this summer I received an offer to join in a humanitarian project related to refugees and focusing on children in Syria. I accepted almost immediately, and left after two weeks. I entered a completely different world. A world of borders. Borders between countries, between war and peace, between religions, between despair and hope, between life and death. Farmers, artisans, teachers, doctors, students, all lost their future. Women who lost their husbands, mothers, sons, children who had lost their parents … We filmed at Camp Atma in Northern Syria, where over 20,000 people, mostly women and children, fled to escape the horrors of war. Most of them live in the open, as the tents are not enough for everyone. Living conditions were practically nonexistent. Most lived without food, water and sanitation for any sense of regularity, and living for two years or more in these conditions if they had no money or documents in order to proceed further to the border with Turkey. We traveled to the area of Jabal al-Zawiya, where the caves below the ruins of an ancient city were inhabited mostly by children who lost relatives in the war. The children of Syria. They had seen and experienced prematurely much pain and suffering, bringing to their eyes wisdom of a sort, but at too high a cost. I saw hope in their eyes as well, though. Hope that there will be “Tomorrow.” A Tomorrow, when I will be home. When I can go to school without fear. When I can have lunch. When again someone will kiss me goodnight. Children play, and whose eyes are laughing shortly after they have cried. The most beautiful children I’ve ever seen.”

Vassil Karkelanov