Syria: A Conflict Explored at IWM North

last updated 12 February 2018

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(Image credit: Sergey Ponomarev)

In the age of "fake news", cutting through everyday media and seeing the bigger picture is more important than ever – and never more so than when it comes to understanding some of the most significant conflicts of our time. A new exhibition at IWM North exploring the impact of the war in Syria, seeks to cut through inaccurate and oversimplified representations and present a balanced and objective introduction to this complex subject.

The conflict, which began in 2011 and has already lasted longer than the Second World War, has so far resulted in the death of nearly half a million people, with a further 11 million of the pre-war population forced from their homes. Syria: Story of a Conflict, co-curated by IWM and Christopher Phillips, reader of International Relations of the Middle East at Queen Mary University, will tell the stories of these citizens in a wide-ranging display that brings a human perspective to this oft politicised topic.

Divided into three sections, the war's devastating effects will be shown through a selection of representative objects, as well as a section highlighting the personal experiences of Syrian individuals who have suffered hardship from the crisis, from refugees currently residing in Europe and Syria's neighbouring countries to those who have remained in the country. Meanwhile, a new installation film produced by non-fiction specialists Liminal will provide an overview of the story of the conflict.