The exhibition Wa Habibi (Oh, my love), organised by Casa Árabe, Fundación Tres Culturas del Mediterráneo, and curated by María Santoyo, presents a selection of images taken between 2012 and 2015, on successive trips to Syria, the country the author was forced to leave.
None of these images reflect the sides, the weapons, the violence or the exile; nor do they attempt to clarify the causes of the conflict or to take a political stance. With uncommon sensitivity and deep respect for others, these photos show the extent to which the human condition is altered by war. Carole Alfarah has witnessed the decay of a land she loves and now barely recognises. Her images convey a reality that is both unassumable and close to home: it could be them, it could be us, it could be here.
Carole Alfarah
Since the beginning of her career, Carole Alfarah (Damascus, 1981) has put her camera at the service of silenced people and groups, giving them a voice and recognition through the image. When the Syrian conflict broke out, she kept her focus on civil society, consciously avoiding iconography, archetypes and the canonical objectivity of war reportage.
Timetable. Monday to Thursday from 09:30 to 19:30. Friday from 09:30 to 15:30. Closed on weekends and public holidays.
Image: Carole Alfarah.
Portuguese