Akbaduna is a photography exhibition of moments in the lives of Syrian refugee children, children whose futures might be the biggest victims of the Syrian conflict. The direct translation of “Akbaduna” is “our livers,” it is a very strong figurative term in Arabic, which refers to children and how important they are to society. The photographs will be from Sumaya’s time documenting the refugee crises in Jordan and Eastern Europe, where she heard myriad stories of heartbreaking loss and brutality, deep hopelessness, and enduring spirit. The images, taken from January 2013 to July 2016, are portraits, daily life, and the migration across Eastern Europe in search of a peaceful home. Sumaya will give a presentation on the Syrian refugee crisis, sharing a window into the lives of Syrians seeking safety and some sense of normalcy in the absence of peace. Sumaya Agha is a freelance photographer from Northern California who has spent over four years documenting the Syrian refugee crisis in Jordan and Eastern Europe for humanitarian organizations. She is of Syrian descent with many aunts, uncles and cousins still living in Damascus. Sumaya holds a BS in Applied Art and Design with a concentration in Photography from Cal Poly State University in San Luis Obispo, CA, and an MPA from Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Her work has appeared in Huffington Post, BBC Focus on Africa, Forbes Africa, and NPR.org, and was a still photographer for the Academy Award winning film "The Fog of War." She has lived in Syria, Liberia, Jordan, and the United States. Her work may viewed here: sumayaagha.net. "Akbaduna" opens on April 15th with Sumaya giving a presentation on her work at 5pm which will be followed by a public reception. This is exhibit is in part made possible by our friends at Katayama Framing. #refugees #syrianrefugees #refugeecrisis #refugeeswelcome #everydayrefugees #nolostgeneration #documentary #documentaryphotography #sumayaagha #akapdx #pdxart #pdxphotography #katayamaframing @sumayaagha @katayamaframing (at AKA PDX)
