Highlights from "An Expression of Absence" Opening at the Magnum Foundation and Bronx Documentary Center

2020 Magnum Foundation Fund Grantee Laila Annmarie Stevens (left) and 2020 ADPP Grantee Maen Hammad (right) in front of Maen’s project at the Bronx Documentary Center. Photo by Sean Sirota.

Thank you so much to everyone who joined us for the opening of An Expression of Absence: Selections from the Arab Documentary Photography Program at the Magnum Foundation and Bronx Documentary Center! Featuring five photographic projects at the Magnum Foundation and ten at the Bronx Documentary Center, this joint exhibition takes inspiration from poet Mahmoud Darwish and critic John Berger to explore the ways photography conjures absence to represent time, memory, disappearance, loss, and erasure.

Take a peak at photos from our opening events below. Exhibit is on view through December 18 — more info here!

Counter Histories advisor Tricia Kim in front of the work of Abdo Shanan (left) and Amina Kadous (right) at the Magnum Foundation.

Exhibit curators Rola Khayyat (left) and Roï Saade (right) with Magnum Foundation Executive Director Kristen Lubben (center) in front of the work of Salih Basheer at the Magnum Foundation.

Work by Rehab Eldalil hangs from the ceiling at the Magnum Foundation.

Former Mangum Foundation intern Samaira Wilson looking at the work of Abdo Shanan at the Magnum Foundation.

A selection of books produced by ADPP alums at the Magnum Foundation.

2021 ADPP grantee Lina Khalid in conversation with program coordinator Jessica Murray at the Magnum Foundation.

Photography and Social Justice Fellowship alum Oscar B. Castillo (left) with Magnum Foundation Executive Director Kristen Lubben (right) at the Magnum Foundation.

Looking more closely at work by Rehab Eldalil at the Magnum Foundation.

María Salazar-Ferro looking at work by Sara Sallam at the Magnum Foundation.

Curator Rola Khayyat after the Magnum Foundation opening.

ADPP program coordinator Jessica Murray and Fred Ritchin at the Magnum Foundation.

Steven Molina Contreras, Evan Walsh, and ADPP alum Ahmed Gaber at the Magnum Foundation.

ADPP program coordinator Jessica Murray and ADPP alum Nada Harib at the Magnum Foundation.

Work by Zied Ben Romdhane projected in the windows of the Bronx Documentary Center.

Attendees at the Bronx Documentary Center opening. Work by Omar Imam on the right.

2020 Magnum Foundation Fund Grantee Laila Annmarie Stevens (right) and 2020 ADPP Grantee Maen Hammad (right) in front of Maen’s project at the Bronx Documentary Center. 

2022 Counter Histories Grantee Tamara Abdul Hadi (center left) and ADPP alum Maen Hammad (center right) in front of work by Ameen Abo Kaseem at the Bronx Documentary Center. 

Curator Roï Saade at the Bronx Documentary Center.

Looking at Thana Faroq's project at the Bronx Documentary Center.

From left to right: Jessica Murray, Roï Saade, Tamara Abdul Hadi, Kristen Lubben, Mostafa Bassim, Nada Harib, Emma Raynes, Tif Ng, Sarah Perlmutter, Lina Khalid, Ahmed Gabar, and Rola Khayyat at the Magnum Foundation.

Exhibit curators Roï Saade (left) and Rola Khayyat (right) at the Magnum Foundation.

All images by Sean Sirota and members of the Magnum Foundation team.