At this year’s FOTOIST International Photography Festival in Pristina, Kosovo, we’re opening four exhibitions: A Brief Guide to Investigating War Crimes by Ron Haviv; Élévations by Éric Bouvet; MONUMENTAL: The Dome of the Rock by Ziyah Gafić and Notre-Dame de Paris by Tomas van Houtryve; and USA 3.0 curated by Ron Haviv and Danny Wilcox Frazier.
Ron Haviv and Ziyah Gafić will each present a lecture discussing their work featured in the festival. Ron Haviv will speak at 11:00, followed by Ziyah Gafić at 12:00, on Saturday, October 18.
A Brief Guide to Investigating War Crimes by Ron Haviv and Élévations by Éric Bouvet are currently on view at the Barabar Centre in Pristina.
MONUMENTAL: The Dome of the Rock by Ziyah Gafić and Notre-Dame de Paris by Tomas van Houtryve is on display at the Gallery of Fine Arts Academy in Pristina.
USA 3.0 is exhibited outdoors at the Grand Square in Pristina.
Lecture: “A Brief Guide to Investigating War Crimes” with Ron Haviv
Join us for a lecture with Ron Haviv at the FOTOIST Festival on October 18. This event will showcase Haviv’s powerful visual narratives alongside work from other leading photographers of The VII Foundation. Drawing from the “Global Investigative Journalism Network’s Guide to Investigating War Crimes,” the lecture will emphasize the crucial role of photography in exposing the truth behind war crimes and the essential collaboration between photojournalism and investigative reporting. Ron will reflect on the ethical responsibility of photographers as witnesses, sharing insights into how each frame captures more than just a moment; it tells a story that demands to be seen, remembered, and understood.
Lecture: “MONUMENTAL: The Dome of the Rock and Notre-Dame de Paris” with Ziyah Gafić
On Saturday, October 18, Ziyah Gafić will present a lecture on his collaborative project with Tomas van Houtryve, titled MONUMENTAL: The Dome of the Rock and Notre-Dame de Paris. He will discuss insights from the project and its cultural, political, and artistic implications. The exhibition and lecture will explore themes of faith, national identity, power politics, social cohesion, colonization, division, and political violence through the lens of these two iconic religious monuments. Gafić and van Houtryve had unprecedented access to these sites from 2019 to 2023.
Exhibition: A Brief Guide to Investigating War Crimes
Curated by Ron Haviv, this exhibition draws from the GIJN’s definitive guide for journalists covering war crimes and features evocative and impactful imagery from contributing photographers to The VII Foundation. Through a compelling visual narrative, it explores the harsh realities of armed conflict, the mechanisms of war crimes, and their long-lasting effects on individuals and society.
A Brief Guide to Investigating War Crimes highlights the essential role of investigative journalism, human rights advocacy, and legal accountability in revealing the truth. It serves as both a tribute to courageous reporting and a call to action for justice and transparency in times of war.
Exhibition: Élévations by Éric Bouvet
Élévations by Éric Bouvet features large format photographs that showcase the breathtaking landscapes of the Alps. While these majestic mountains symbolize natural beauty, Bouvet’s images also reflect on their vulnerability in the face of climate change and environmental degradation.
Using 19th century photography techniques, Bouvet slows down the photographic process, allowing the viewer to engage deeply with the subject matter. His images invite reflection on the delicate balance between humanity and the natural world, portraying landscapes that are at once enduring and fragile.
This exhibition was part of a broader initiative by The VII Foundation and the Institut-Français in BiH, supported by UNESCO through the “Culture and Creativity for the Western Balkans” (CC4WBs) project funded by the European Union, to encourage dialogue on environmental sustainability and the role of visual storytelling in addressing such critical issues.
Exhibition: MONUMENTAL: The Dome of the Rock by Ziyah Gafić and Notre-Dame de Paris by Tomas van Houtryve
A project of The VII Foundation, MONUMENTAL is an exhibition that fosters discussions on faith, national identity, power politics, social cohesion, colonization, division, and political violence through the symbolism of two of the world’s most important and iconic religious buildings: The Dome of the Rock, in Jerusalem, and Notre-Dame de Paris.
The VII Foundation’s contributing photographers Ziyah Gafić and Tomas van Houtryve had unprecedented access to these iconic religious structures between 2019 and 2023.
Exhibition: USA 3.0 curated by Ron Haviv and Danny Wilcox Frazier
USA 3.0 is a collaborative visual journalism project by the contributing photographers of The VII Foundation and their colleagues at VII Community, which captures and interprets American history in real time, marking this historical period and preserving a record of the past, present, and future for generations to come.
USA 3.0 offers commentary on the recent past, present and near future, capturing the challenges of immigration and drug policies, campaign drama, human rights, a changing climate, and the tension between urban and rural populations — big issues brought to life through up-close personal stories.
