Santi Palacios and Bouchra Khalili: Visualizing the Mediterranean Migrant Crisis
This article delves into the theme of horror in modern photography, particularly in relation to the Mediterranean migrant crisis. Highlighted is Santi Palacios, a photojournalist from Madrid and the 2017 World Press Photo awardee, who captured the tragic shipwreck on July 25, 2017, off the coast of Libya while working with Associated Press on Proactiva Open Arms. A rubber dinghy carrying 180 individuals sank near Sabrata, resulting in the recovery of 13 bodies, including those of two pregnant women. Palacios's censored works feature life jackets on Lesbos (January 2016) and a rescuer with a baby. The piece also mentions Bouchra Khalili's "The Mapping Journey Project" at Triennale di Milano and Clément Chéroux's insights in "Diplopia" (2009), while critiquing the simplification of content on social media, referencing Georges Didi-Huberman's "Images malgré tout." Gioni's exhibition showcases personal belongings from a 2013 Lampedusa shipwreck.
Key facts
- Santi Palacios documented a July 25, 2017 shipwreck off the Libyan coast for Associated Press.
- The shipwreck occurred near Sabrata, Libya; 13 bodies recovered, including two pregnant women.
- Migrants were from Sudan, Nigeria, and Ghana.
- Palacios's photos were censored by Facebook.
- Bouchra Khalili's 'The Mapping Journey Project' was shown at Triennale di Milano in 'La Terra Inquieta'.
- 'La Terra Inquieta' was curated by Massimiliano Gioni and produced by Fondazione Trussardi.
- Clément Chéroux's 'Diplopia' (2009) analyzed 9/11 imagery and media censorship.
- The exhibition 'Here is New York: A Democracy of Photographs' collected thousands of amateur 9/11 photos.
- Richard Drew's 'The Falling Man' photo sparked controversy.
- The 2015 photo of Aylan Kurdi by Nilüfer Demir became iconic.
- Mauro Carbone's 'Essere morti insieme' (2007) discussed missing posters at Penn Station after 9/11.
- Georges Didi-Huberman's 'Images malgré tout' references Auschwitz photos taken by prisoners.
- Massimiliano Gioni's exhibition included personal effects from a 2013 Lampedusa shipwreck.
Entities
Artists
- Santi Palacios
- Bouchra Khalili
- Massimiliano Gioni
- Clément Chéroux
- Marco Belpoliti
- Mauro Carbone
- Richard Drew
- Georges Didi-Huberman
- Roland Barthes
- David Foster Wallace
- Nilüfer Demir
- Ai Weiwei
- Gulnara Samoilova
Institutions
- Associated Press
- Proactiva Open Arms
- World Press Photo
- Triennale di Milano
- Fondazione Trussardi
- New York Historical Society
- CBS
- Charlie Hebdo
Locations
- Madrid
- Spain
- Libya
- Sabrata
- Sudan
- Nigeria
- Ghana
- Lesbos
- Greece
- Milan
- Italy
- New York
- United States
- Pennsylvania Station
- Union Square
- Lampedusa
- Auschwitz
- Poland