Photographers Benjamin Rasmussen and Michael Friberg | By The Olive Trees Exhibition

Now showing in the North Gallery | THE CENTER FOR FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHY

‘The Syrian civil war, now in its fifth year, began when a group of young people spray painted anti- regime graffiti on the walls of their school. Their arrest, detention and torture led to protests and a violent crackdown by the forces of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
The series of actions and reactions has led to the deaths of an estimated 470,000 Syrians and caused 4.8 million more to flee the country. More than 1.4 million of these refugees have headed south to neighboring Jordan. Some have stayed in the Zaatari refugee camp, while most have spread throughout Jordan, settling in for what they believe to be a long separation from their homes and communities as they wait out a war with no end in sight.’

-Benjamin Rasmussen and Michael Friberg

Photographers Benjamin Rasmussen (Denver) and Michael Friberg (Salt Lake City) have created an editorial style series of work about the refugee crisis and those currently living in the Zaatari camp in Jordan. The immediacy of the images makes the Syrian refugees’ turmoil and living conditions relatable to the viewer and all the more real than a news report. Come see this deeply impactful and visually stunning exhibit for free at The Center for Fine Art Photography.