The Middle East: Other viewpoints

23 October 2023 | Corporate news

Fr. Ubach traveled through Syria, Iraq, Sinai and Palestine during the first decades of the 20th century and has left us an exceptional photographic legacy, which can now be seen in the exhibition “The Biblical Scholar’s Viewpoint”.

This is the starting point of the dialogue series “Other views. The Middle East in the photographic background of Fr. Ubach” which will delve into the influence of the image and photography in the construction of the story and the perceptions about social, cultural and political realities of the Middle East.

In this first debate of the series, “The look in its context. The Middle East of yesterday and today”, we will ask ourselves if the world photographed by Father Ubach, very focused on scenes reminiscent of the Bible, no longer exists today. What was that world really like? How do the inhabitants of these countries live today? What interest can this look have for a modern observer? What will be the most relevant and transformative historical events in Arab societies at the beginning of the 20th century? What new realities make up these human landscapes today? Which ones remain today? What is the contemporary narrative that can help us interpret the social longings and aspirations of contemporary Arab societies? How does Bonaventura Ubach’s legacy enrich the heritage of current Middle Eastern societies?

The complex cultural and religious mosaic as inspiration and source of dialogue

The second dialogue of the series delves into the religious or cultural tradition as an amalgam of diversities that exist in each religion. This is perhaps one of the current contributions of Ubach’s work: recognizing the concrete reality in which traditions are embodied and transformed, especially relevant in a world that is, paradoxically, increasingly diverse and globalised.

Photojournalism, between tradition and modernity

This is the third dialogue of the series “Other views. The Middle East in the photographic background of Fr. Ubach” which delves into the influence of the image and photography in the construction of the narratives and perceptions about social, cultural and political realities of the Middle East.

How are conflicts and social movements represented? Has the photojournalism evolved over the years? Which photos can create memories and which ones can’t? Classic photojournalism is evolving and many professionals seek new frontiers and use creative language to explain essential problems of the contemporary world. Is documentary gaining ground? Are there new paths underway?

Watch the debates: