Being.Lost exhibition in Ranya
26.02.2025
Kurdistan Center for Arts & Culture together with the Consulate General of the Republic of Poland in Erbil invite you to experience the Ranya exhibition “Being.Lost”, which invites us to confront the powerful, painful experience of loss and the uncertainty accompanying it.
Through the work of photographer Shamal Hisamadin and sound artist Hardi Kurda, this exhibition sheds light on the personal and collective stories of families affected by displacement, conflict, and the ongoing search for loved ones.
The photographs by Shamal Hisamadin document the haunting realities of families from the towns of the gate of revolution district. Many residents of these areas have fled in search of a better life, leaving their families with a painful silence as their fate remains uncertain. Beyond the faces of these families, these images capture the weight of their longing, their grief, and the unresolved questions troubling their minds. Each photograph is a silent testament to the resilience of people living in the shadow of loss. Family members live with items left behind by their loved ones, who have been lost to the harsh road that they had hoped would lead to opportunity.
Aligned with Shamal’s photographs, Hardi’s sound installation takes visitors on an intimate journey of grief, expression, and remembrance. The exhibition space features a transparent wall equipped with phones where visitors are invited to share their memories, reflections, and feelings of loss. These messages and personal testimonies will be broadcasted through a small radio station, allowing others to hear the stories, the grief, and the process of healing that binds us all together. The radio becomes a shared space for listening and for connecting, enabling visitors to engage with one another’s experiences and reflect on their own.
This exhibition, located in the Central Park of Ranya, is not only about witnessing stories of loss—it is about collectively navigating the difficult terrain of grief. It is about the act of sharing, listening, and processing loss together, especially in a region in which many families are still separated by borders and precarity. As a community, we are invited to explore the different ways we process grief, how we listen to others, and how we see each other through moments of profound sadness.
To find out more, please visit https://kcac.org/en/being-lost/
