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EAAF Traveling Photo Exhibition |
Over the years, EAAF has amassed a photographic archive documenting our investigations in different regions of the world. Photography is, in fact, a basic tool for conducting forensic investigations into human rights violations. Since excavations to retrieve the evidence destroy the archaeological context, photographs are a means to preserve the original appearance of a crime scene. The same is true for laboratory work. After they are analyzed, bone remains are usually returned to the families for reburial or cremation and photos taken in the laboratory are the only remaining record. These photographs can then be presented as evidence in court, and incorporated into reports of truth commissions.
Also, these photos serve as documents for the historical reconstruction of controversial events. They document and preserve images of past events and, with time, become irreplaceable historic documents. They are also evidence of the course of each victim's fate and form part of the social memory of recent and controversial historical events. Finally, EAAF uses our photographic archive for educational purposes in our presentations, training courses, and publications.
In 1999, EAAF created a photographic exhibition in order to illustrate the ways in which forensic anthropology can contribute to the investigation of human rights violations and to share this unique visual record with the general public. On the basis of selected cases of our work in Argentina, Bolivia, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala and Iraqi Kurdistan, we have attempted to show some of the methodological aspects of the work and to highlight the social, political and historical context in which it takes place. The three sets of the exhibition (available in English, Spanish and German) have so far been displayed in Argentina, Belgium, El Salvador, Germany, the United States and Uruguay, where it has received very positive reviews. EAAF member Silvana Turner, and photographer Ana Aslan, curated the exhibition.
The EAAF photographs were taken by several of its members. The rest of the photographs represent the work of several photographers who documented the facts that are presented in the exhibit, or who documented the work of the team. The photographers are: Ana Aslan, Andrew Beswick, Viviana D'Amelia, Stephen Ferry, Guillermo Loiacono, Eduardo Longoni, Susan Meiselas, Daniel Muzzio, Roberto Pera, Jean-Marie Simon and Eric Stover.
Funding for creating the exhibition was provided by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and Diakonische Werk, both of Germany; and the National Council of Churches of Christ, USA.
Please contact EAAF's New York office to schedule the exhibition for your school, gallery, community space or other venues. To request the Spanish version of the exhibition, please contact our office in Buenos Aires.
A color catalogue of our traveling photo exhibition is also available for a small printing fee.
