The Luminous Scope Show: “Dis (placed)” to Open October 14 in Asheville « Foundation Network

The Luminous Scope Show: “Dis (placed)” to Open October 14 in Asheville

By Milon Henry Levine THE FOUNDATION NETWORK

It has been reported that LAST WEEK….300 thousand refugees fled Syria into Turkey….OVER A SEVEN DAY PERIOD. Overall, 9 million Syrians have abandoned their homes since 2011 (See Press Release Below)

Three kids, Musaab Al Tuliani (tent camp), Lebanon

Photo: Jennifer MacDonald

This summer, somewhere between 110 and 112 THOUSAND…Palestinians were displaced (through losing their homes) during “Operation Protective Edge.” This artshow “((Dis)placed,” opening in Asheville, N. C. next Tuesday October 14) profiled below, puts a very human face on the displaced from Syria…and as a photo collector and someone who believes that relationships between ARAB PEOPLE and WESTERN PEOPLE can and will improve dramatically…I am very interested 1) in collecting these photos and 2) in supporting work of The Luminous Scope as much as I possibly can (In reverse order, but collecting these photos does support the work and I do recommend it a lot). You can also sponsor Toy Baskets which I personally will do asap. (See Upcoming Story Above on the Toy Basket Drive). This work is at the fore front of communications between The West and the Arab World….again…a totally heroic and utterly very exciting and moment to moment world changing achievement.

“Having traveled to this region many times over the years, I’ve seen firsthand the devastation and destruction of this rich culture and its citizens, as well as how much hope and joy a small amount of compassion can bring to these communities” says Jennifer MacDonald, founder of and the primary journalist and photographer/filmmaker behind THE LUMINOUS SCOPE. “I wanted to shine a light on one small area of this crisis, in one camp, to help people empathize and hopefully activate some support.”

Musaab Al Tuliani, Lebanon Photo: Jennifer MacDonald

THE PRESS RELEASE

(DIS)PLACED – Life As A Tent City Refugee OPENING OCTOBER 14, 2014 – aSHEville Museum, Wall Street

ASHEVILLE, NC, October 1, 2014 – What is the real story behind any of the humanitarian disasters now affecting large portions of the global population? What we see and hear on TV or the internet is just a small piece of the truth. (DIS)PLACED – Life As A Tent City Refugee, opening Tuesday, October 14, 2014 from 6:00p – 8:00p hopes to shine a little more light on just one of these stories.

An estimated 9 million Syrians have fled their homes since the outbreak of civil war in March 2011, taking refuge in neighboring countries or within Syria itself. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), about 2.5 million have fled to Syria’s immediate neighbors Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. 6.5 million are internally displaced within Syria.

Logo of United Nations Refugee Agency.Version made by user Kashmiri. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The Syrian refugee crisis is the largest humanitarian disaster in the last 20 years and the displacement of nearly half of the population of the country has had, and will continue to have, far-reaching global effects. This exhibit is designed to inform the public of the complexity of this issue and offer some practical ways in which individuals can help.

Highlighting one specific camp – Musaab Al Tuliani, in the Bekaa valley of Lebanon, only five kilometers from the Syrian border – and using maps, photos, film clips and text, the exhibit will explore the challenges of Syrian refugees, as they struggle with daily life and meeting basic human needs.

“Having traveled to this region many times over the years, I’ve seen firsthand the devastation and destruction of this rich culture and its citizens, as well as how much hope and joy a small amount of compassion can bring to these communities” says Jennifer MacDonald, photographer and journalist. “I wanted to shine a light on one small area of this crisis, in one camp, to help people empathize and hopefully activate some support.”

Co-curator and exhibit designer Vanessa Bell is equally passionate about highlighting the mass of humanitarian issues and suffering currently affecting our world and the need for empathy,

“Individually, it’s hard to believe that we can effect much change in the world but I am a great believer in the power of positive thought and prayer,” she says, “and sometimes all it takes a small reminder, a moment of empathy, understanding, or support.”

Jennifer MacDonald is a multi-award winning producer/writer (Special Jury Prize at Sundance – www.anywhereusathemovie.com) with years of experience in many aspects of film making, and whose special area of interest lies in North Africa and the Middle East. A former cryptologist, world traveller and polyglot (English, Spanish, Portuguese, Arabic and some French), she currently teaches and lectures about the culture and history of the Middle East and has started the first basic Arabic program for High School students in the American South with an emphasis on cross cultural connection and discovery.

Vanessa Bell is co-curator and designer of the exhibit. With an experienced and discerning eye for all things creative, she was instrumental in conceiving and compiling the visual story for (DIS)PLACED. Outside of this particular collaboration, Vanessa is a skilled marketer, graphic designer, and artist in her own right, with photography and mixed media art on display in several galleries in Asheville.

The new aSHEville Museum, 35 Wall Street, in downtown Asheville, is hosting the exhibit from October 14, 2014 until the new year. The museum seeks to educate, inspire, and empower present and future generations by sharing engaging stories, facts, narratives, and visual imagery of the richly varied achievements and experiences of women and girls throughout the world.

High resolution photos available upon request: info@bellvdesign.com