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Victims Of Land Mines, Majid Saeedi, Iranian documentary photographer (12.03.2014)
Exchibition opening on Saturday 5th of April 2014 in Photo Museum (at 4/6, Raekoja Street). NB! Only with invitations!
Photo exhibition will be opened during 5th of April - 6th of May 2014 in Photography museum (double check the work hours of museum).
Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. The Soviet occupation of the country from 1979 until the final withdrawal in 1989 saw the urban centers controlled by Soviet troops and Soviet-backed militia, locked in constant low-intensity warfare with various groups of Mujahedeen fighters.
Land mines were deployed widely by both sides and hidden in every conceivable terrain. Roads, electricity pylons, bridges and abandoned houses were all heavily mined. Even the country's largest dam, Kajakai, and the pylons linking the dam to Kandahar, the country's second city, were mined.
Today, vast swathes of the country remain littered with an assortment of mines - from anti-personnel to anti-tank mines. Kabul is still the most heavily mined capital city in the world.
Land mines kill or maim on average around 65 people per month. Recent fighting between coalition forces and Taliban fighters in the South of the country have brought a new set of mines - mainly handmade - into circulation.
Having witness war and violence has had a lot effect on me professionally it has given me more strength and accuracy but personally it has made me very fragile, a lot of thoughts passes my mind that why innocent people become victims or get killed or injured and I feel very sorry.
I had gone for photography from war victims to IRC, suddenly it crossed my mind that what would be the reaction of the people who have lost their limbs due to mine in front of my camera. The very next day I went back to IRC with a black curtain and light and took photos from few of them. I don’t feel that these photos are studio photos but they just passed by my camera.
Many photos have been shot from the mine victims before but I wanted to look on this subject with another point of view and now I feel it has more effect.
As a photographer my main focus has always been on reality some of which may be happy and others maybe sad.
Photo is a document which will remain in future and we are documentary makers that tell the truth by our work.
Majid Saeedi is an Iranian documentary photographer. He has photographed Middle East with a focus on the humanitarian aspect for the past two decades. Majid also takes a special interest in telling the untold stories of social issues and social injustice through his photos. Majid was born and raised in Tehran.
He started photography at the age of sixteen and when he turned eighteen, he went to Iran Iraq border to take photos of the refugees. Majid is currently collaborating with Getty Images, covering Afghanistan and Iran photo reportages. He has managed photography department of various news agencies in Iran and led numerous key projects for over 15 years.
One of Majid's interests is to do street photography and portray citizens’ ordinary lives. When Majid is not working, he likes to teach photography to students and mentor young photographers.
Majid has won numerous prominent and prestigious photography awards from around the world. He has received the title of “The Best Photographer of Iran” eight times. His photos has been published in international presses such as Times, Spiegel, Life, New York Times, Washington Post, Washington Times, Time Magazine and various Middle Eastern publications and online agencies.
Majid has traveled to many countries in the Middle East and photographed the injustice as well as the atrocities. His recent photo story displayed the images of the Afghan people whose lives have been affected by several decades of war in Afghanistan.
Recent Awards:
-2014 FotoEvidence Book Award
- 2014 Lucas Dolega Award
- 2013 World Press Photo (WPP)
- 2013 National Press Photographers Association (NPPA)
- 2013 China International Press Photo Contest (CHIPP)
- 2013 RPS Wall Grant in Japan
- 2012 R.F. Kennedy Award
- 2011 Lucie Award
- 2010 UNICEF Award
- 2010 China International Press Photo Contest (CHIPP)
- 2010 Henri Nannen Award
- 2009 & 2005 POY Awards
Exhibitions:
Solo Exhibitions
- Peace Foundation Special Review, Bolzano Italy, 2014
- UK Gallery
- 25th Anniversery of Visa Pour L’Image, Perpignan, France, 2013
- Reminder Photography Stronghold Wall Grant, Tokyo, Japan, 2013
- Photo Report/ Age Festival Pmarico, Basilicata, Italy, 2013
- Noorderlicht Gallery, Groningen, The Netherlands, 2012
- New York, USA, 2011
Plus 30 Group Exhibitions
