Join Crystal Palace Friends of Palestine for a discussion about Photographic Archives from Palestine 1900 to 1970, with local photographer, Dr Andrea Muendelein.
This talk will reflect on historic photographic archives from Palestine from 1900 to the 1970s.
Firstly, a collection of photographic images from Palestine, published in 2024. ‘Against Erasure’ presents photographs from family archives from Palestine between 1900 and 1948, covering the period of the British Mandate in Palestine up until the ‘Nakba’ (Arabic: catastrophe), the violent destruction of 418 Palestinian villages, and the displacement of over 700000 Palestinians from their home land in 1948, which proceeded the founding of the state of Israel. ('Against Erasure', eds. Sandra Barrilaro, Teresa Aranguren, Haymarket Books, 2024)
Secondly, we will discuss the work of Armenian photographer Kegham Djeghalian, who ran a photo studio, ‘Studio Kegham’ in Gaza between 1944 and the 1970s. The archive of his work was kept in Gaza by Marwan Tarazi, the brother of his former photo studio assistant Morris Tarazi. Another part of the archive was found by Kegham’s grandson Kegham Djeghalian Junior in Cairo. Art director Kegham Djeghalian Jr then curated, exhibited and presented his grandfather’s work in Cairo 2021 and in London at the Photographer’s Gallery in 2024.
Finally, following his account and drawing from texts by writer Mohammed el Kurd and others we will reflect on how photographic archives operate in contexts of conflict and oppression. We will make links to contemporary photographers who create new archives in the present and discuss and how they can be viewed, read and understood.
Dr Andrea Muendelein graduated with a PhD in the philosophies of photography from Central St Martins in 2019. She runs a photography group in Crystal Palace, South East London.
Registration
Please register your attendance for this event on this site.
Donation
There is no entry fee, but we are kindly asking for donations to a private fundraiser for a family in Gaza. You can donate at: https://www.gofundme.com/f/emergency-support-for-the-dabbous-family-in-gaza?
It will also be possible to make donations on the night.
Food and drink
Palestinian snacks, tea and soft drinks will be available.
Cover image credit: Kegham Djeghalian