Archive Exhibitions

War and Peace: portraits by Nick Danziger

2011-08-04 16:08

What: War and Peace - Women in the 21st century
Where: Salle d'Exposition, 4 Quai Antoine Ier
When: 1pm to 7pm, Tue-Sun, 7 to 30 September 2011
Contact: Tel +377 98 98 83 03

The documentary films and photographs of Nick Danziger have received numerous awards including the Prix Italia for Best Documentary Film of the Year and a World Press Award for his portrait of George Bush and Tony Blair as they hear the news of the outbreak of war in Iraq in 2003. His photographs form part of many museum collections around the world.

Ten years ago, Danziger exhibited his photographs of eleven women and girls scarred by war, taken at the request of the International Committee of the Red Cross. Last year he set out to find them again. What would have happened to them in the intervening years?

Thanks to the work of local branches of the Red Cross and other international organizations, he managed to track down these women and re-photographed his original subjects in their day-to-day lives. While some had managed to rebuild their lives and return to some semblance of normality, for others, the situation had changed little.

These eleven women are the focus of Danziger's new exhibition, 'War and Peace, Women in the 21st Century', which uses the original and later portraits as the key to discovering the stories of many other female victims of conflict.



Neil Burgess, curator of the exhibition, explains the fascination of Danziger's work:

"Nick Danziger is a man of versatile talent. Having abandoned a promising career as a painter in order to travel, he became the author of several well-known and bestselling books, including 'Danziger's Travels', before taking up the opportunity to make films for the BBC and other major international channels.

What emerges above all from his photos is this multi-faceted role as traveller, storyteller and explorer of places and situations that most of us would not dare approach. He is a citizen of our world through whose eyes we learn to gauge and understand what is going on around us.

His passion for travel is equalled by his immense fascination for people. During all these years of working with him, I developed a profound respect and affection for him. It's a reaction that's well-known both to his colleagues and the people he meets in his reportage: the political figure, the media adviser, the taxi driver and hotel concierge, all are taken by his charm and the genuine interest he shows in their lives.

The plight of people in times of war, famine, or civil unrest, can be extremely hard, but Nick knows that their story does not end there. In this retrospective, Nick shows himself to be not only a great photographer but also a man who cares enough about people to return. He returns again and again to countries affected by conflict, to monitor and see how life has changed people, for better or worse.

Often in times of war and conflict, is the story of the lives of women that reveals the true extent of the horror. It's their stories of strength and stoicism that can inspire and excite the world and bring it to act. In telling these stories, we hope that his work will touch and inspire you. "

About the curator

London-based Neil Burgess has enjoyed a long career as a curator, editor and writer in the field of photography. He was for many years at the Open Eye Gallery in Liverpool before founding the London office of Magnum Photos. After a period as director of the parent company of Magnum in New York he founded his own company, nbpictures,  which allows him to present the work of a number of key artists and photographers. He has been Nick Danziger's editor for nearly ten years.

Publication: Eleven women facing War

"This exhibition is dedicated to these extraordinary women who agreed to be photographed. I hope that their testimony will help put a face to all those who continue to suffer in silence. " Nick Danziger.

"Eleven Women Facing War" is published in August 2011 by Editions Places Dits. Further information from danziger@monaco.mc or www.nickdanziger.com