October 16, 2013
War Photography/Video Exhibit Open
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- A presentation by award-winning journalism alumna Jackie Spinner on Friday, Oct. 18, will help open an exhibit at Southern Illinois University Carbondale that features a collection of photos and video from the frontlines of Iraq and Afghanistan.
Spinner will discuss the exhibit “Conflict Zone,” and her own experiences of covering the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, at 4 p.m. in the Communications Building Sound Stage. The event is free and the public is invited.
“Conflict Zone” is a collection of more than 60 images and two video pieces featuring the work of some of the world’s best civilian and military journalists, including Pulitzer Prize winners Craig F. Walker and Greg Marinovich.
Spinner is now an assistant professor of journalism at Columbia College Chicago and co-director of the multimedia exhibit. The work of 28 contributors opens Friday in University Museum and runs through Dec. 7.
Spinner graduated from SIU Carbondale in 1992 and was a staff writer for The Washington Post for 14 years. She is author of the 2006 book, “Tell Them I Didn’t Cry: A young journalist’s story of joy, loss and survival in Iraq.”
“It’s an extraordinary opportunity to be able to bring this exhibit to my alma mater,” Spinner said. “This is what war looks like, through the collective lens of our photographers. The exhibit is apolitical, and we have no agenda other than to offer that lens to the public.”
The exhibit will also be open to attendees at the upcoming Peace History Society Conference, which runs Oct. 24-26.
“University Museum is pleased to showcase some of today’s finest photojournalists. The documentation, some of which is exhibited here, has brought the realities of war to the public’s attention,” museum Director Dona R. Bachman said.
William H. Freivogel, director of the SIU School of Journalism, said, “The university is fortunate to be able to bring this distinguished work to campus. We also are lucky to have Jackie Spinner here to talk about the exhibit. She knows what war looks like from her experiences as Washington Post bureau chief in Baghdad.
“I know of no journalist more passionate about what she does. Every student journalist and members of the community should take this opportunity to hear her.”
The exhibit is dedicated to Chris Hondros, one of the key supporters for Conflict Zone before he was killed in Libya in April 2011 while on assignment for Getty Images. The Chris Hondros Fund is an exhibit partner.
Conflict Zone opened in May 2011 and travels throughout the United States.
More information on the project and a gallery of select images are available at conflictzone.org/.
The multimedia exhibit is a special project of “The Independence Fund,” a non-profit organization that helps meet some of the long-term financial and equipment needs of severely injured troops and their families.