Gabriela Bulisova Talk

On March 23^rd, I attended Gabriela Bulisova’s talk “Collateral Image: Portraits of Iraqi Refugees”. This lecture was provided more than just information about the situation of Iraqi Refugees. She also gave an overview of many of the projects she has done that work with social justice issues. Bulisova showed us many breathtaking photos, though only a small sample in comparison to her work that is on display in upper Montgomery hall.

One idea Bulisova shared was the idea that her lens is not dispassionate. This idea struck me as a photography student because the lens allows you to capture the image that is before you. Thus, the idea that a lens carries the passions of the photographer makes sense as it’s the individual’s intentionality that defines what is in the frame. At the same time, it was a wonderful experience to actually see the passion come across in the images she presented.

The work she did documenting Iraqi refugees in Syria was by far the most intriguing to me. The suffering and the realities of refugee life in Syria was the center of these photos. One of my favorites was of a woman who she described as “the mother of Iraq”. This woman appeared tough as nails and as Bulisova talked it became apparent that this one woman gave her all to help the children of other refugees.

The other main impact this talk had on me was a greater awareness about Iraqi refugees, as there are over 2.5 million that have fled due to religious or political differences and are now living on next to nothing in Syria. This fact astounded me and it made me appreciate the photos all the more. They showed another side to the conflict in Iraq that most Americans are unfamiliar with. These images that Bulisova took of refugees documented the suffering, whether it is from physical injuries or emotional turmoil due to the squalor of the neighborhood they inhabit outside of Iraq. The photographs captured the story and truly reflected a passion to showcase the emotions of these refugees for the world to see.