“Portraits of Resilience” final day at the United Nation’s Palais des Nations

The exhibition has been two years in the making, working with the cultural committee at the United Nations and both the UK and French permanent missions.

The objective was always to show the series of portraits in spaces, befitting to the work, and where it will raise awareness, stimulate debate and forward the campaign to abolish torture.

“Portraits of Resilience” is a long-term project that I have been working on for nine years and currently features survivors from Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. This is a self-funded personal project that I began by collaborating with TASSC International but have since connected with other similar organisations. I photographed three new portraits this week in collaboration with “Freedom from Torture”. As a long-term project, I am looking to expand on the selection of portraits that are currently in the series and would like to take this opportunity to reach out to organisations working with survivors to get in contact and become part of this campaign. Of course, this extends to any other organisations or individuals that would like to support in other ways. We are also currently looking for other suitable spaces to exhibit the work, so please get in touch if you are in a position to help facilitate this.

“Portraits of Resilience” has received some incredible feedback with comments including “it uses a unique visual language that is fitting with the sensibility of the subject matter” and “It is a work of responsible documentary photography that lacks the predatory or voyeuristic perspective that often plagues the genre.”

However, I would like to share an email from one of the survivors that has far more value. 

Dear Jonathan

Thank you for your “photovoice” with the portraits that tells our stories. The picture that I selected is now a living photo with deep-rooted memories. I can see my family and everything else that I left behind, as part of me in this art. This gives me the courage, hope and inspiration to continue.

Thank you TASSC for supporting such a wonderful project with Jonathan. These pictures will be part of my life.

Any such exhibition takes an enormous amount of work and would not be possible without the support of a number of organisations and individuals. Thanks to you all.

TASSC International | Aymen Tabir | Andrea Barron | Sufi Laghari | Hagir Elsheikh | Elshafei Dafalla | Jean-Frederic A Batasse | Alysha Tagert |
Janice Christensen | Jennifer Isely | Kelsey Fisher

United Nations – Thomas Kryger | Francesco Pisano | Lidiya Grigoreva

FranceONUgeneve | Claire Thuaudet | Robin Margaillan | Emma Maury | Marie BOURREAU

UKmissiongeneva – Jo Woodthorpe-Smith | Eleanor Sanders

CVT – Leonce Byimana

Metro Imaging for printing and framing the work. Lea Printers for printing the signage.