Surfacing

About Surfacing

SURFACING: A PHOTO PROJECT ON THE LIVES OF FAMILIES OF DESAPARECIDOS



A photograph is regarded as a powerful tool for communicating ideas in a way that a written or oral account cannot. A photograph is not hindered by language, nor does it expect its viewers to be educated or literate. The language that a photograph speaks can be understood by anybody.

It is with the acknowledgment of this power that we deemed it appropriate to use photographs as a tool for human rights advocacy. We intend to contribute to the continuing effort of sustaining and heightening public awareness and consciousness on the issue of enforced disappearances. By mounting a photo exhibit, we also intend to give a human face to the stories and struggles of the families of the disappeared (desaparecidos). We strongly believe that we can reach out to more people by telling their stories through images.

To ensure that we will indeed effectively convey these stories, SURFACING proposes to hold an output-based photo essay/story workshop which will be open to all amateur and professional photographers, both from the Philippines as well as the Asian Region.

This workshop intends to develop participating photographers' skills in creating compelling photo essays/stories while at the same time also creating awareness of human rights issues, in particular the increasing number of enforced disappearances in the country.

This initiative is part of a growing Artists Response against the human rights abuses of the Arroyo administration. Parallel efforts are currently being undertaken by independent and mainstream filmmakers, poets, artists and musicians. All these initiatives will culminate in a Human Rights Festival on Human Rights Day, December 10.

SURFACING, the photographers' initiative is headed by a small working group of student photographers with advice from professional photojournalists and in coordination with the Free Jonas Burgos Movement (FJBM). FJBM is a loose network of individuals seeking for the surfacing and release of Jonas Burgos, who was abducted last April, by suspected military operatives. It also speaks against human rights abuses, in particular, of other enforced disappearances of activists in the country.


Everyone is invited to be part of this initiative!
Pls. sign up HERE. :)

http://projektdesap.org