The opinions expressed in this essay are the author’s own.
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About the PhotographerBorn in Kuwait in 1998, Aram Wildali is a Jordanian photographer currently living in Jenin, Palestine. |
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The boys run on clods of earth emerging from the water. © Aram Wildali
In the West Bank village of Sanur, nestled within the Jenin district, a seasonal lake that emerges during the rainy season, between February and June. Encircled by rugged mountainous terrain and hampered by inadequate sewage drainage, this ephemeral body of water reappears annually, persisting despite the encroachment of climate change, which has initiated a slow recession of its water levels.
This lake has been a blessing for some and a curse for others. Farmers lost their crops and were unable to plant anything else during the winter season. As for those suffering from the war and the current conditions affecting the country, it has served as an outlet for them, their families and children, and even for their work. From here, we see hope despite the pain that pervades the country. This reminds us that even in the darkest times, beauty can be found even temporarily.
While I was working on this project, my father passed away. Looking at what I have experienced in those difficult moments and the story I was documenting I started reflecting on the feeling of absence. Even when physically gone, what we miss remains vivid in memories and photographs, almost resurrected, pulsing with life within us.
This lake has been a blessing for some and a curse for others. Farmers lost their crops and were unable to plant anything else during the winter season. As for those suffering from the war and the current conditions affecting the country, it has served as an outlet for them, their families and children, and even for their work. From here, we see hope despite the pain that pervades the country. This reminds us that even in the darkest times, beauty can be found even temporarily.
While I was working on this project, my father passed away. Looking at what I have experienced in those difficult moments and the story I was documenting I started reflecting on the feeling of absence. Even when physically gone, what we miss remains vivid in memories and photographs, almost resurrected, pulsing with life within us.
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