BagNews Archives About Staff BagNews is a progressive site dedicated to visual politics and the analysis of news images.
Monday, February 13, 2012
November 18, 2008

Welcome Zoriah

Zoriah Israel Wall.jpg

As part of the continuing evolution of BNN, I am pleased to introduce you to our newest contributor, Zoriah Miller.

With a background in disaster management and humanitarian relief, Zoriah has spent years working for various international aid organizations, including the Red Cross. It is this background that has fundamentally informed his photography career. Zoriah has worked extensively in Iraq, Afghanistan, Gaza and Lebanon and has won wide critical recognition since the early ’90’s. In 2006, in particular, he was named Photojournalist of The Year by Morepraxis; he won the VII Photo Agency Portfolio Contest; and he was included in World Picture News Networks Most Powerful Imagery of 2006.

At this point, however, Zoriah is probably best known for having been expelled from Iraq earlier this year by the U.S. military. Working as an embed, Zoriah met the ire of the powers-that-be for publishing images of U.S. military dead on his photoblog. Having witnessed a suicide attack on the unit he was attached to, Zoriah violated no codes or restrictions for documenting what he saw. (In fact, Zoriah was never charged with violating rules of the multinational force command and still retains his military credentials to work in Iraq.) Still, as part of a stringent and escalating military censorship effort, Zoriah was made an example of. (For background, I recommend photographer Michael Kamber’s NYT article on the incident. Kamber, a universally respected photojournalist, has been a mainstay in Iraq for The Times.)

Over the past few months, Zoriah has been photographing in Gaza. This particular image was taken this Fall on the Palestinian side of the Israeli wall, near Bethlehem. If the letters, split between the two barriers, creates an ominous sense, and the geography, plus the mixture of English and Arabic, evokes false campaign rumors about Obama’s religion and ethnicity, the graffiti embodies its own style of hope. In a land torn in two, perhaps Obama offers connection, even a bridge.

I welcome Zoriah to BAGnewsNotes as much as I welcome the mood and tone of his social and political imagery. I hope you will take the time to engage him and his work.

(image: © Zoriah. West Bank. August 2008.)

« Prev

Next »

  • La Cabeza

    Welcome to The Bag, Zoriah. We may not always agree, but there is usually quite lively and informed discussion hereabouts.
    I find this particular photo interesting from many aspects, not the least of which is the location: Palestine! Apparently, “hope” and “change” are more than slogans to the world’s disenfranchised.

  • Rhino95

    The diagonal line on the bottom left and the straight division down the center at first made me think of this being on a map of Nevada and Utah. (And really, could there be two more idiologically different states?)

  • Books Alive

    Welcome, Zoriah, and thank you for your valuable work in the trouble-spots of the world. I certainly hope that Obama’s skill as a mediator, honed in his senatorial work in Springfield, Illinois, and Washington, will be fruitful with regard to achieving an Israeli-Palestinian agreement.
    From the Kamber article, the quotation that “photos provided the enemy with an after-action report…” reminds me of the difficulties Gen Sherman had with Thomas W Knox, a reporter who eventually went before a court-martial. Sherman had a long history with being misrepresented by reporters, hence his vehement response. Overall, the Civil War was well documented by artists and photographers who worked in the field. You and others are making a similarly important record in this era.

  • richard dent

    Well over 90% of the separation barrier is chain link fence. The “wall” portions are necessary to protect schools from sniper fire. The photo is interesting, but this context would have been worth stating.

  • bystander

    Zoriah! Wow. What a coup for TheBAG. Welcome.

  • lytom

    Re: richard dent contribution. Bit of clarification:
    The separation barrier “chain link fence” separating Gaza strip from Israel had a one kilometer buffer zone added to it on the side of Palestine land! In addition, high technology observation posts have been constructed with the new rules of engagements in which soldiers can shoot to kill anyone attempting to cross into Israel. Palestinians who have been killed, have been found unarmed. Palestinian schools and civilians around this border are not protected from frequent Israeli armed invasions and air strikes.
    Photo is interesting given the US policy toward the Palestine.

  • http://www.jonathanjk.wordpress.com jonathan

    some of us have already ‘engaged’ with Zoriah on LightStalkers. But well done joining BNN, I like the picture and it has already created some discussion.

  • richard dent

    To lytom:
    Your additional information about the buffer is fair enough to cite. Keep in mind, though, that Israel still remains under attack from Gaza, even though Israel removed all settlements, etc. Also, when there are not rocket attacks from Gaza, there aren’t “frequent” Israeli military incursions. Somebody has to stop the tunnels, etc.
    I don’t say this to defend everything Israel has done and is doing, but to add some context.

  • http://www.zoriah.com Zoriah

    Thank you all for the warm welcome and a special thanks to BAGnewsNotes for inviting me on board, I consider it an honor.

  • http://www.retailcoachbags.com Coach Satchel

    Repica Coach Handbags can be very cheap, and there is a large market with young girls who want the look of the expensive bag but only are working minimum wage jobs and can not afford to save up for many months to purchase the authentic. That and most people don’t know ways to purchase aCoach Satchel used bag at a discount price, so they end up purchasing a replica Coach handbag as a last resort.

  • http://www.retailcoachbags.com Cheap Coach Wallets

    Repica Coach Handbags can be very cheap, and there is a large market with young girls who want the look of the expensive bag but only are working minimum wage jobs and can not afford to save up for many months to purchase the authentic. That and most people don’t know ways to purchase a used bag at a discount price, so they end up purchasing a replica Coach handbag as a last resort.
     

Archives

More Originals