Dimensions: image: 190 x 290 mm
Copyright: © Akram Zaatari, courtesy Hashem el Madani and Arab Image Foundation, Beirut | CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 DEED, Photo: Tate
Curator: This photograph, part of Akram Zaatari’s work, is titled "Anonymous. UNRWA school, South Lebanon, 1960s. Hashem el Madani." It’s a black and white image of a young boy seated in a chair. There’s such directness in his gaze. Editor: Yes, the photo strikes me as stark, almost austere. The texture of the wall and the simple wooden chair highlight the material conditions. Curator: The photo is part of a larger project where Zaatari explores the archive of Lebanese photographer Hashem el Madani. Zaatari’s work often grapples with the circulation and interpretation of images, especially in relation to identity and the construction of history. Editor: And the printing itself becomes a key element. You consider the grain, the paper—these materials were very specifically chosen. It affects how we receive the image. Curator: Exactly. Think about what an UNRWA school represents—a space of refuge, displacement, and education within a specific sociopolitical context. This boy, perhaps a Palestinian refugee, embodies a complex history. Editor: Knowing the image's origin, the materiality of the photograph, makes me think about the economic factors affecting these children and the photographer's craft. Curator: It leaves me pondering about the broader narratives of displacement and resilience it brings to light. Editor: And I'm left considering how the tangible aspects shape our understanding.
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http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/zaatari-anonymous-unrwa-school-south-lebanon-1960s-hashem-el-madani-p79421
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This work is one of a series of black and white silver gelatin photographs of varying sizes that are collectively titled Objects of study/The archive of studio Shehrazade/Hashem el Madani/Studio Practices. All of the photographs were taken by the Lebanese commercial photographer Hashem el Madani between 1948 and 1982 and compiled into the present group, 117 of which are in Tate’s collection, by the Lebanese artist Akram Zaatari. All of the photographs include people, either alone, in pairs or in small groups, and most were taken in Madani’s studio, although some were shot outside and in his subjects’ homes. The series features men and women and covers a wide age range from babies to elderly people. Almost all of the sitters assume poses deliberately for the camera, sometimes accompanied by props or costumes, and most gaze directly towards the lens. Many of the pictures show subjects interacting in various ways, including embracing, kissing and acting out scenes, such as a mock wrestling match. The photographs are mostly tightly cropped, with the sitter or sitters filling most of the frame, although in some cases the figures are positioned further away from the camera, for instance when shown sitting at a table or standing behind a chair. The photographs tend to have sparse backgrounds, often dominated by a blank posterior wall. They are mounted on white paper, displayed in plain white frames and signed on the back by Madani. Many of them have been organised into categories by Zaatari – such as a group featuring men dressed as Syrian resistance fighters and a collection depicting newly married couples – while the rest are presented individually. Zaatari has stated that although he prefers these groups to be displayed together, this is not a requirement (Akram Zaatari, email to Rachel Taylor, 24 April 2008, Tate Acquisition file).
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