CHARLES THIEFAINE - TAHRIR

CHARLES THIEFAINE
TAHRIR

Self-published, 2021
Book size 18 x 24 cm
Pages 76 pages
Softcover
Text by Feurat Alani (French / Arabic)
Limited edition of 300
ISBN No. 979-10-699-6460-0

"November 2019, demonstrators and security forces clash night and day. Young Baghdadis, armed with slingshots and Molotov cocktails, try to reach the al-Ahrar bridge: one of the axes that lead to the green zone, ultra-secure district where embassies and main institutions of the country are located. Opposite, the regular authorities, supported by militiamen, fire live ammunition and use tear gas canisters of exceptional weight. In total more than 600 people will be killed and 20,000 injured.

In this series, I was interested in the ambivalent postures adopted by the young people of Tahrir in the face of all this violence. It shows joy, fear, camaraderie, excitement, or even sadness. Each body seems to guard itself against danger in its own way. Some face it. Others don't care. All stand up to the risks of seeking a better future.

These bodies and these emotions, finally, give a glimpse of the passage of time. They tell the story of the first moments of a revolt until the next day which is disillusioning. They go through the calm of dawn, hot afternoons and dying days. "Artist's statement

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"November 2019, protesters and law enforcement clash night and day. Young Baghdads, armed with slingshots and Molotov cocktails, try to reach the al-Ahrar bridge: one of the axes leading to the green zone, an ultra-secure district where embassies and the country's main institutions are located. Opposite, the regular authorities, supported by militiamen, fire live ammunition and use tear gas grenades of unusually high weight. In total, more than 600 people will be killed and 20,000 injured.

In this series, I was interested in the ambivalent postures that the youth of Tahrir adopt in the face of all this violence. We see joy, fear, camaraderie, excitement, or even sadness. Each body seems to protect itself from danger in its own way. Some confront it. Others don't care. All stand up to the risks that the quest for a better future presents.

These bodies and emotions, finally, allow us to glimpse the passing of time. They tell the first moments of a revolt until the next day that turns disillusioned. They cross the calm of dawn, the hot afternoons and the days that fade away." text by the artist