Whilst many of us are getting excited over what new camera gear we’ll be acquiring over the Christmas period, it’s easy to forget that elsewhere in the world, poverty is rife and many live in warzones. One artist exposes war life in Yemen by contrasting images of our Christmas with their reality.
Street photographer Igor Dobrowolski is aiming to highlight and expose pre and post war life in Yemen by shining a light on scenes we wouldn’t ordinarily associate with Christmas: starvation, malnourished children, and destruction.
The project is a series of photos showing war-torn Yemen, with images of luxury presents, food and Christmas trees layered over the top. One shows a struggling mother clutching her malnourished child, with a bag full of groceries covering the child’s face. Another shows a man, sat upon rubble, his head in his hands; in the distance, Dobrowolski has created the illusion of a brightly-lit Christmas tree atop a snowy hill.
Speaking to Metro.co.uk about his inspiration behind the project, Dobrowolski cites his motivation as “the suffering of innocent people" and "the desire to show this forgotten horror which benefits mostly western governments who sell military equipment to target civilians.” He says Yemen is often missed out in the media, and that many of the “huge quantities” of ordinary people dying do so without any coverage.
Dobrowolski hopes the images will “induce empathy in ordinary people.”
See more of the set below, and find him on Facebook here.
Images used with permission.
[via Metro]
I don't think he meant it as a contrast in how we celebrate Christmas (obviously, few Yemenis do.), so much as what we're doing, this time of year. It could have been any time of year but Christmas highlights the disparity. My concern with these kinds of projects are: suggesting wealthier nations benefit from their poverty and strife and, there's rarely any kind of relief prescribed. We're just supposed to feel bad about ourselves for having better lives.
"Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good." I don't feel bad at all!
Merry Christmas to you, and everyone, as well.
Amended the way it was worded, thanks Bob :)
Though I know war is like a nightmare that you just can't wake up from easily. I never like these "makes-you-feel-terrible-propaganda". Why should one stop or feel bad for some little enjoyment in life in celebrating holidays?
I just think there's a better way to remind people to be aware and help.
Nah, he just went there to take some snaps, put it in a collage hoping someone from Fstoppers will write an article about him.
With this party-pooper article I was reminded of Debbie Downer.
What’s the purpose of the article? To make donations or just feel like crap for living a good life?
Ramadan in yemen - https://www.google.com/search?q=Ramadan+in+yemen&newwindow=1&source=lnms...
I sometimes fill in as a medical photographer... Maybe I should do something similar with my autopsy photos and people that are living to show how unfair life is... The dead are truly disadvantaged...
Wow I love how a lot of people totally missed the point. I'm sorry for the artist.