© Zed Nelson
Noorderlicht Photogallery Akerkhof 12 9711 JB Groningen Pays-Bas
The Noorderlicht Photogallery is hosting the international première of In This Land, the new project about Israel by the celebrated documentary photographer Zed Nelson. The exhibition, in which Zed Nelson investigates the psyche of a people who live in the shadow of a deep-rooted conflict, opens on 1 February.
Since the creation of the state of Israel in 1948, it has been a nation imprisoned in a struggle about the occupation and possession of land. The many wars and the continued bloodshed have apparently brought the two parties in conflict – Israeli’s and Palestinians – no closer to a solution.
Zed Nelson’s In This Land tries to fathom the psyche of Israel today. In a sequence of visits he made images that serve as a counterweight to the deluge of all-too-familiar photos of stone-throwing Palestinian youths in their headscarves and militant gun-wielding Israeli settlers.
‘On my first trip, I travelled the complete land and sea border of the country, exploring the notion that Israel is a nation defined by its borders, with a population gripped by a collective siege mentality. In my second series stones, which underpins the exhibition, I aim to reflect on Israel’s fiercely unwavering belief that its identity is embedded in the very fabric of the land, with its past, present and future inextricably linked to the rocky ground underfoot. Gathered from places of deep social, religious and military significance - including scenes of crime, terror, and assassination - these seemingly benign objects seem to reveal the scars of history etched into them, bringing to mind past and future conflicts, triumphs and tragedies.
Together with landscapes, photographed under the fierce Israeli light, Zed Nelson sketches a serene but deeply charged picture that summons us to reflection and contemplation, revealing the complex forces of belief, history, fear and revenge.
The conflict may be pitch black; but any solution does not lie in a black and white attitude.
London based Zed Nelson (Uganda, 1965) is an internationally renowned photographer who gained recognition working in some of the most troubled areas of the world. More recently Nelson has turned his focus on Western society, adopting an increasingly conceptual approach to contemporary social issues. Gun Nation - Nelson's award-winning project - is a disturbing reflection on America’s deadly love affair with the gun. In Love Me he reflects on the cultural and commercial forces that drive a global obsession with youth and beauty. Nelson’s work has been exhibited at Tate Britain, the ICA and the National Portrait Gallery, and is in the permanent collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum. Solo shows include the Newseum, New York, Kulturhuset, Stockholm and the International Biennial of Photography, Turin.
© Zed Nelson
About Noorderlicht
The Noorderlicht Photogallery is a permanent exhibition space for photography that is not afraid to cross boundaries, be they national or genre, to tell its story. Through the gallery Noorderlicht seeks to offer a platform for young local talent, but also bring idiosyncratic masters from The Netherlands and other countries to the attention of a wider audience. Moreover, the gallery functions as a laboratory for the annual photo festivals. But Noorderlicht does more. Through its publications, master classes, discussions, lectures and provision of photography commissions, Noorderlicht stimulates the development of photography, particularly documentary. Rooted in the northern Netherlands, Noorderlicht casts its gaze across the whole world, with an eye for social themes and visual beauty.
More information on www.noorderlicht.com