“When the peasants and students entered the revolution, to be able to move from house to house without fear of snipers, they made holes in the walls of houses. These excavations joined up hundreds of homes, thus creating a unique space which brought Syrians together for the first time in forty years. This assembly of houses has been named “Point Zero”. It is where Syrians across the country gather together to protect their assets and to prevent their wives and children from being arrested and tortured”, says Syrian photojournalist Muzaffar Salman. “Aleppo Point Zero“ turned into a photo exhibition, which will be hosted at La Maison des journalistes in Paris from the 5th of May until the 15th of September 2015.
Muzaffar Salman was born in Homs 39 years ago. He studied photography in Syria and earned a degree in 2003. From Aleppo, he covered the Syrian conflict and collaborated with several news agencies, including the Associated Press and Reuters. He has been arrested by the Syrian government and narrowly escaped the attack of the Islamic State. He fled Syria for Lebanon, then took refuge in France in June 2014, where he was welcomed by the Maison des journalistes.
In “Point Zero” Muzaffar Salman met traders, farmers, truck drivers, laborers and students of medicine, philosophy, history, languages… All of them were fighting against the chaos in Syria. All demanded freedom. It is these painful encounters that have shaped his reporting and the present exhibition. The event has been made possible with the active support of the City of Paris and with the other partners, including the Multimedia Authors Partnership (SCAM), the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF).
Info: La Maison des journalistes – 35 rue Cauchy 75015 Paris Tél. 01 40 60 04 06. From the 5th of May until the 15th of September 2015. Monday-Friday from 10am to 6pm.
