2019 by NOOR: a year in review
This year, at NOOR, a great diversity of practices and a strong variety of subjects of matter were approached by our authors around the world.
USA, New York, New York City, 10 August 2019, New Yorkers shut down the West Side Highway, one of the city's busiest roadways, to protest recent immigration detention and deportations, demanding an end to immigrant concentration camps and the dismantling of the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency, ICE. About 100 people were arrested. | © Nina Berman / NOOR
Brazil, Rondonia, 14 January, 2019, Impacts of deforestation along the road from Porto Velho to Uniao Bandeirantes. | © Sebastian Liste / NOOR
From a family in Bethlehem conceived through IVF, women crossing the Gulf of Aden wrapped in colourful scarves, or the celebration of twin-hood in Nigeria, NOOR continues to visually explore the big issues of our time. This year we have paid special attention to the climate crisis affecting natural landmarks such as the Arctic or the Amazon, as well as affecting populations with the rising sea level around the world. Our authors investigated the local issues affecting people and their communities, such as the division of the United States society, the rise of white supremacy supporters around the world and the increase of hate and racist crimes.
2019 made us even more conscious on the importance of unravelling today's ongoing issues of our world, to inform and report, making us all honest witnesses.
Marshall Islands, Majuro, 21 April 2019, A home on Majuro which is right on the shore. Most beaches have disappeared and the coast has been fortified by often self build sea walls. The government of the Marshalls actually want to raise several of the islands to make sure they don’t submerge. | © Kadir van Lohuizen / NOOR
Occupied Palestinian Territories, Bethlehem, Dhesieshe Refugee camp, 2019, Five-year-old twins Sundos and Noor under a photo of their father, Ahmad, who was jailed in 2002 and condemned to 18 life sentences. In November 2013, Noor’s mother Hanadi gave birth to the twins (his sperm was smuggled out by a relative.) | © Tanya Habjouqa / NOOR
At the core of the NOOR's collective nature is its myriad approaches to storytelling. Using the NOOR Foundation as a visual lab, we have partnered up with media, technology, educational and artistic organisations all across Europe to develop projects such as FotoInMotion, Reconstruction of Identities, and Pix-T, supported by the Google Digital News Innovation Fund, for a new innovative blockchain-driven marketplace.
With our longterm partner Nikon Europe,we have continued to invest in the next generation of storytellers, bringing to our community masterclasses in Bulgaria, Tanzania, Spain, Austria, Italy, to name a few.
January 2019
talk - “Our Democracy” at the National Geographic Storytellers Summit 2019
Andrea Bruce presented her latest long-term project Our Democracy at the National Geographic Storytellers Summit 2019, and is available to watch in streaming.
February 2019
Exhibition - FURIOUS BEAUTY: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF STANLEY GREENE
"Furious Beauty: The Life and Times of Stanley Greene," a show curated by Anna Shpakova around Stanley’s early work in Paris and San Francisco, was exhibited over the month of February at the Multimedia Art Museum, Moscow.
Podcast - Who Is Stanley Greene? by Stanley Greene
On February 14th, Stanley Greene’s birthday, we shared an exclusive podcast where Stanley shared with us an autobiographical portrait of himself.
Film - Arctic: New Frontier on VPRO Backlight and Arte Reportages
Arctic: New Frontier, a pioneering double expedition by Yuri Kozyrev and Kadir van Lohuizen that explores the effects of climate change on the entire Arctic territory, was made available as a documentary on ARTE Reportages, and was screened by the Dutch broadcaster VPRO Backlight on NPO 2.
March 2019
INNOVATION - Pix t, The Blockchain-Driven Marketplace
With its partners World Crunch and Internazionale, we are proud to share that NOOR was awarded funding by the Google Digital News Innovation Fund to develop a new collaborate project "Pix.T: The Blockchain-Driven Marketplace For Photojournalism, Digital Publishing & Exclusive Art Photo Prints".
Exhibition - Arctic: New Frontier at saatchi Gallery from March to may
From March 15th to May 5th, Kadir van Lohuizen and Yuri Kozyrev’s expedition Arctic: New Frontier was exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery in London.
Exhibition - An Autobiography of Miss wish in New York
From April 6th to April 21st 2019, Nina Berman had work from "An Autobiography of Miss Wish" in the group exhibition "Beyond Addiction: Reframing Recovery", at the Arnold and Sheila Aronson Galleries at the Parsons School of Design in New York City.
April 2019
Stories - Yemen Contraflow in Mare Magazin
Following on from her work A Million Shillings, over the past year Alixandra Fazzina has been documenting new patterns of mixed migration to and from Yemen and the Horn of Africa, working closely with refugees and within the clandestine world of people smugglers. The first part of the project was published in the April issue of Mare magazine.
Film - filming the Hellbangers of Botswana
In April, we were proud to announce that Pep Bonet’s new film ‘‘Hellbangers’’ on Botswana's metal scene opened the Wacken Open Air Festival 2019 Edition.
Awards - Bénédicte Kurzen & Sanne De Wilde Win the WORLD PRESS PHOTO 2019 Portrait Category Award
We're extremly proud that Bénédicte Kurzen and Sanne De Wilde were awarded 1st prize of the World Press Photo Contest, Portrait series with their collaborative photographic project ‘‘Land of Ibeji’’ discovering the mythology of twinhood in Nigeria, supported by Nikon Europe’s Ambassador Grant.
May 2019
Stories - All Children of Nine months
In Topic, Tanya Habjouqa shares her investigation on women whose partners are locked up in Israeli prisons have figured out a new way to get pregnant—and it involves semen hidden in candy wrappers. Additionally to the photographs, Tanya created an immersive piece hearing the testimonies of those part of this peculiar phenomenon.
June 2019
workshop AND PORTFOLIO REVIEWS - noor at imagesinguliÈres 2019
NOOR authors Alixandra Fazzina and Sanne De Wilde provided an intensive 2-day workshop to support emerging photographers in the development of their documentary project – from conception to dissemination. Next to that, a series portfolio reviews led by a group of other NOOR photographers provided an opportunity for emerging photographers to intensively discuss their work with industry professionals.
EXHIBITION - NINA BERMAN AND JON LOWENSTEIN at imagesinguliÈres 2019
Nina Berman’s An Autobiography of Miss Wish is a story of two closely related lives, the photographer and her "subject", working closely together to create a unique enigmatic book that pushes the boundaries of documentary narration.
In South Side, Jon Lowenstein explores the struggle that ensues to maintain a semblance of order as these neighbourhoods crumble before our eyes.
FILM - NOOR PROJECTION NIGHT at imagesinguliÈres 2019
On June 1st, NOOR Authors screened unique stories from around the world, put together in a single film.
July 2019
EDUCATION - NIKON NOOR ACADEMY IN SOFIA, BULGARIA
From 15-17 July, and thanks to the continuous support of NIKON, Nina Berman, Bénédicte Kurzen and Kadir van Lohuizen worked together with a group of 15 participants and shared experiences, worked on their portfolios, improved their editing skills and taught how to create more impactful visual stories.
award - Bénédicte Kurzen & Sanne De Wilde win the 2019 ‘‘Voies Off’’ Awards
The project "Land of Ibeji" by Bénédicte Kurzen & Sanne De Wilde won the 2019 ‘‘Voies Off’’ Awards. The ‘‘Voies Off Festival’’ gathers a selection of exhibitions and independent photographic initiatives that blossom in Arles every year for the Rencontres d'Arles.
August 2019
talk - JON LOWENSTEIN AT THE 2019 TED SUMMIT
Jon Lowenstein presented his long-term project "Shadow Lives", that follow the migrant trail for over two decades across the American and Latin American continents, at the 2019 TED Summit.
September 2019
AWARENESS - NOOR DEDICATED THE MONTH OF SEPTEMBER TO RAISE a SENSE OF URGENCY for CLIMATE EMERGENCY
In recognition of the urgency of the moment, and the perils we all face by the warming planet, NOOR stands with journalists, scientists, water protectors, climate activists, and concerned people everywhere in support of worldwide actions to stop fossil fuel extraction and transition to a renewable and sustainable future. We resist the environmental fascists and militarists who use nationalism, racism and xenophobia to divide and conquer. We condemn the cynicism and obscene greed of so called climate deniers. They are nothing but gangster scammers who aim to subvert scientific fact so they can continue enriching themselves and their fellow elites. We hold them accountable and the irresponsible corporations who knowingly have brought us to this tipping point.
Read the full manifesto here.
Author - Olga Kravets joins NOOR
In September 2019, documentary filmmaker and photographer Olga Kravets joins NOOR. Documentary filmmaker and photographer Olga Kravets works primarily on long-term projects on conflict and human rights across the former USSR, Middle East, and the Balkans. Documentary filmmaker and photographer Olga Kravets works primarily on long-term projects on conflict and human rights across the former USSR, Middle East, and the Balkans.
With Olga Kravets joining the agency, NOOR co-founder Yuri Kozyrev follows: "We are very happy to have Olga join us. Olga has worked extensively on important human stories with integrity. Closely working in the past with NOOR's co-founder Stanley Greene, Olga will bring a new vision to our diverse group."
October 2019
Stories - DEFORESTATION IN THE AMAZON RAINFOREST
Sebastián Liste went to the Amazon for TIME to see the consequences climate change has on the Amazon. Home to 390 billion trees, the vast river basin reigns over South America and is an unrivaled nest of biodiversity. At current rates of deforestation, 27% of the Amazon will be without trees by 2030.
EXHIBITION - Kadir van Lohuizen’S ‘RISING TIDE’ AT THE MARITIME MUSEUM IN AMSTERDAM
The work of Kadir van Lohuizen on the on the rising sea levels opened at the Het Scheepvaartmuseum on October 4, 2019. “Rising Tide” is a mix between old and new work and will be exhibited until May 10, 2020.
Film - After Us the Deluge on Dutch National Television channel NTR
NOOR visual-storyteller Kadir van Lohuizen presented a preview of his latest NTR programme series Na ons de zondvloed at the Architectuur Filmfestival Rotterdam. His 4-part series dives into the human consequences of rising sea levels, and was screened on Dutch National Television channel NTR.
November 2019
EDUCATION - NOOR AUTHORS AT F2 DORTMUND FESTIVAL
NOOR authors Sanne De Wilde, Sebastián Liste and Kadir van Lohuizen presented a lecture on which form can be creatively helped to create justice at f2 Fotofestival Dortmund on November 8 and 9.
innovation - New tool to identify political speech
Nina Berman developed with Columbia University a digital tool that helps journalists better identify political speech.
TALK - OLGA KRAVETS AT ‘SALON DE LA PHOTO’ IN PARIS
Nikon Ambassador Olga Kravets talked at “Salon de la Photo” in Paris at the Nikon France’s stand.
December 2019
award - "Land of Ibeji" wins award at Lianzhou Foto
NOOR photographers Bénédicte Kurzen and Sanne De Wilde won the jury prize in China at Lianzhou Foto for their series "Land of Ibeji". They showcased their photos as part of the “A Chance for the Unpredictable” exhibition.