resistere, resistere, resistere

L'importante e celebrata agenzia fotogiornalistica NOOR compie dieci anni. E quale modo migliore per festeggiare, se non una vendita collettiva di stampe? Ognuno dei membri dell'agenzia ha scelto dal proprio archivio un'immagine che rappresenti l'idea di resistenza, perché è questa forse la parola chiava della ricerca su cui NOOR si è focalizzata nell'ultimo decennio. Resistenza all'imperialismo, al dispotismo, al razzismo in ogni sua forma, questo il soggetto comunue alle tante storie raccontate, e questo lo spirito che sottende al lavoro di tutti i membri. Ma, come ci si poteva aspettare da un'istituzione di tale integrità etica, #Resist non ha intenti puramente commerciali: parte del ricavato della vendita (aperta fino alle 1200h del 16 Febbraio) sarà donato al Center for Constitutional Rights

USA, Chicago, 2012 “A fundamental concern for others in our individual and community lives would go a long way in making the world the better place we so passionately dreamt of.” Nelson Mandela While this picture is subdued - the subjects of the photograph were anything but subdued. Each man represented a passion for humanity that was unbridled and displayed through their ultimate sacrifice that heart, ideals and a willingness to put your life on the line for a cause is what a human life is to be measured by. ” Jon Lowenstein

Brazil, 2012 “During the four centuries of slave trade, characterised by tensions and class confrontations, thousands of slaves escaped from European plantations and created ‘quilombos’ in Brazil.Originally “quilombo” means “place where one is with God”. The quilombos rebuilt in Brazil were territorial organization of African origins and worked as an outlet against the violence of slavery. Wherever slavery flourished, so did resistance. Even under the threat of the whip, slaves tried to carve spaces of autonomy through rebellions. Some slaves escaped and lived in communities resisting to the acculturation. There they survived thanks to their ancient customs and recreated their old traditions of lyrics and dances, that would later become the famous Samba music. These alternative communities sought to reproduce Africa in the Americas. All members would be equal and free, just as they had been in their homeland. In a period of worldwide challenges, I want to remember how Samba was born to talk about awareness and hardship, and to dance for the hope and despair of all the people who live under an oppressive system. ” Sebastian Liste

Sierra Leone, 2003 “Kalone is a football player from the National amputee football Team in Sierra Leone. He is stretching while training on the beach. The football team is entirely made up of players with one leg and goal keepers with one arm. Amputated by machetes of the Revolutionary United Front, they are residents of the Murray Town amputees’ camp, which is home to victims of rebel atrocities committed during the civil war. Resist. Supposed to be outcasted by society and left aside, they resist to their destiny and to the aftermath of a 10-year war. Resistance is what made them stronger human beings. Resist. For some people there is no other choice than to resist.” Pep Bonet

Afghanistan, Kabul, 2012 “In a padded room rich with sweat, young women ran drills around me. Then turned, boxing their image in a broken mirror. In Afghanistan, as in many places in the world, women battle traditional roles and cultural boundaries as often as their opponents in the ring. Afghan Olympic boxing hopeful Sadaf Rahimi practices in the Kabul Olympic Stadium. Simply by living their passion, practice becomes a form of protest.” Andrea Bruce

Russia, Chechnya, Grozny, 2013 “The Revolution that swept across Russia, changed history forever, in many ways America was more poised for a Revolution with the weight of the down trodden masses, being crushed under the weight of capitalism, but the leaders of the day were not passionate enough, a revolution is like a great love affair. In the beginning she is a temptress, a Holy cause, the virgin Mary, believing in something so passionate to die for it, the idea itself becomes the religion, not as pure, not saintly and in the end not even perfect, but a burning faith blood stained. On the roads of the revolution the people were caught up and carried along the roads and winds of change, the fires that consumed the people did so until they reached the ends of Russia.” Stanley Greene

Occupied Palestinian Territories, 2013 “The ability to find pleasure highlights humanity…and can be a form of resistance …the human spirit cannot just live on misery and drama. These “amazon warriors” stopped me in my tracks watching their grace and fierceness as they practiced along the wall—that is the primary view from their campus. There is a tension and even aggression on the edge of daily life for the students. And it is beautiful to see them rise above it. An ugly separation wall barring their view of Jerusalem, that simultaneously limits their ability to maintain family and friend ties, reach their full economic potential, and basic freedom of movement.” Tanya Habjouqa

F*ck the KKK, USA 1990 “When the Ku Klux Klan, a white supremacist terrorist organization, decided to march around a baseball field in a small town in southern New Jersey, a crowd of protestors showed up to resist. As the KKK donned their white robes and waved their confederate flags, the protesting crowd, led by many black high school students, pushed the Klan behind the ball field fence and into the wooden bleachers. The Klan grew frightened and weak as the protesters outnumbered them. Chanting with righteous anger and moral authority, these teenagers drove the racist hate mongers off the field and out of town. It was my privilege to witness this beautiful moment of resistance when young people stood up for their ancestors and their own dignity.” Nina Berman

South Africa, Johannesburg, 2012 “If there is one man whose life is all about resisting it is Nelson Mandela. Fist in the air, he gave this word a new meaning; rising so far and above hatred, racism, tribalism, injustice, selfishness. His figure is now contested, and his heritage questioned within the border of his homeland, but his aura is undeniable. I was lucky enough to have photographed him a couple of times and his aura was thick like a warm coat. I understood that the culture of resistance is both political and intimate. By simply looking at someone he could make you feel you can, you have to be your better self. Amandla!” Benedicte Kurzen

‘When a flock of birds takes flight, it means that one started out first’ African proverb from Sierra Leone “Stanley Greene, NOOR photographer and great friend. Stanley is the one who gave birth to NOOR. The other photographers followed him, in a period of global crisis and great need of resistance. Resistance for NOOR photographers means stimulating positive change and impacting views on issues of global concern, hopefully encouraging others to follow.” Francesco Zizola

Bangladesh, 2013 “A mother and her son at the village of Bainpara in the delta of Bangladesh. Their land has been taken by the waters during a cyclone and subsequent frequent flooding. Flooding has always happened in Bangladesh, but today the waters often don’t recede anymore due to the rising sea level, if they do, the land is saline and crops won’t grow anymore. The sea is rising due to climate change and millions of people are at risk in Bangladesh. People are urged to move but they resist: it’s the land of their forefathers, which they have been cultivating. They resist that they have to pay such a high price, where their emissions have always been almost zero. Trump doesn’t believe in climate change and millions of people are sacrificed for that vision.” Kadir van Lohuizen

Brazil, Altamira, 2012 “On Tuesday 9 October, around 80 “warriors” in full war paint and armed with bows and arrows, clubs and lances occupied a construction site for the Belo Monte hydroelectric plant on the Xingu River, a tributary of the Amazon in Brazil. In a cloak-and-dagger operation, the native Indians stormed the Pimental cofferdam, chased off around 900 construction workers and took control of a large number of trucks and Caterpillar construction vehicles.” Yuri Kozyrev

Pakistan, 2014 “Resisting the devastating changes heaved upon their lives in the wake of protracted conflicts on the Afghan border, hundreds of thousands of civilians displaced across Pakistan hang on to the last threads of former lives than can be salvaged. Having lost their homes and lands, livelihoods and often their dignity, what remains is humbling. Following families from Pakistan’s tribal areas over six years, I often found traces of former lives. In this image, a row of teaspoons found in a garbage dump have been tacked onto the wall at a temporary slum that is home to the internally displaced. A reflection of the intricately hand carved spoons that would have graced their farmhouse in Bajaur, they are a metaphor for a last stand. For such families, to resist is simply to not give up.” Alixandra Fazzina

Russia, 2014 “‘D’ and ‘O’, from Russia, were attacked because they dared to walk in the street holding hands. Being photographed for ‘Where Love Is Illegal’, a campaign against homophobia, was an action that defied those who would deny their love, and who they are. They taught me a valuable lesson: The greatest form of resistance can be the courage to be yourself.” Robin Hammond