The camera is perhaps the single greatest tool humans have ever invented in their ongoing struggle against forgetting. We have always told stories about the way things were – telling tales about our ancestors orally or by writing them down. We have painted pictures and built models, monuments and memorials to commemorate our experiences, and to show the way we lived and died to generations yet unborn. But the photograph – though its message may often be a half-truth, or an outright attempt to mislead, though it can be just as flawed and malleable as any other form – trumps all. A major new photography exhibition at London’s Tate Modern gallery, staged to mark the 2014 centenary of the start of the First World War, catalogues the medium’s three-way relationship with war and time.
The distinction is an important one: this is not simply an exhibition of war photography, or reportage, but an ambitious work of curation that selects photographs of sites of conflict over time – looking at the dust settling, the ruins crumbling – ranging from visceral shots of recent carnage to scenes that now contain only the faintest clues that once they hosted great violence and tragedy. It is ingeniously arranged, so that each room is themed not by a particular war, or region of the world, but by how long it was since the conflict in question: starting with photographs taken moments after an attack, and then days, weeks, months, and so on, until the final room, which hosts photographs taken 80-100 years after a conflict ended.
One of the collections that hits the hardest is Simon Norfolk’s Chronotope series from Afghanistan, taken in 2001-2, during the American war with the Taliban. His photos are categorised by the Tate as “days after” – because the US bombing was basically going on around him – yet they are layered with historical pain, owing to the country’s uniquely tortured 20th century history, the Soviet invasion and the subsequent civil wars. It is not simply the case that everything in each photo had been perfect, and peaceful, just before Norfolk picked up his camera – if he is urging us to remember, which conflict are we supposed to be remembering? “The sheer length of the war,” Norfolk wrote of his time in Afghanistan, “means that the ruins have a bizarre layering; different layers of destruction lying like sedimentary strata on top of each other.”
The metaphor is an appropriate one – his subjects, mostly ruined buildings or piles of broken military hardware, sit in Afghanistan’s rock-strewn, sandy landscape, being worn down by wind and time. A bullet-scarred outdoor cinema and an empty swimming pool gathering weeds sit amid the rubble under peachy skies, devoid of life; natural debris and highly unnatural debris side by side. But when were these scars left, and by which army? We can only make educated guesses.
Catharsis and commemoration can only really be achieved if a conflict is followed immediately by openness and forgiveness. People cannot begin the process of moving on, the negotiation of forgetting and remembrance, if a society still essentially without peace and freedom. This is clear in Don McCullin’s photos from Berlin in the 1960s: almost two decades after the Second World War, but with army boots (belonging to several nations, of course) still visible on the ground across the German city. The uneasy atmosphere of the Cold War is obvious as Berliners try to go about their lives, with the bizarre physical intrusions of barbed wire and military command posts obstructing them. In one striking photo, the Berlin Wall is slowly going up in front of us, as if it is creeping upwards to take over the frame entirely and block our view, and just beyond it we can see East German guards milling about – former friends and neighbours disappearing behind the arbitrary iron curtain.
In an exhibition containing a few very well-known shots (mostly from Vietnam, Hiroshima and Dresden), what is most striking is the final room, the most time-distant reflections. This focuses on very recent photos of First World War sites, a welcome contribution to our understanding of a historical conflict whose narratives are calcifying fast, as those who experienced it first-hand have all passed away. Chloe Dewe Mathews’s series Shot At Dawn revisits the locations on the Western Front where British, French and Belgian soldiers were executed by their own commanders for desertion or cowardice. Dewe Mathews takes us back to the exact spot, at the exact time of day – usually dawn – and marks the names of the soldiers, many of whom were teenage conscripts, executed there. Ostensibly, we are seeing the silent mist and frost settling on a northern European hedgerow, or a spindly collection of trees leaning in the half-light under a light dusting of snow – but with context, we are as close as possible to knowing the last things that these young soldiers saw, 100 years ago. It is eerie and incredibly poignant.
Half a world away, the same can be said for Ursula Schulz-Dornburg’s sun-bleached shots of the Hejaz Railway line that linked Damascus and Medina – it was one of the great engineering projects of the Ottoman Empire, completed on the eve of the First World War, and then destroyed in the conflict, like the Empire itself. By the time Schulz-Dornburg retraced the route through the desert in 2003, only the empty brick shells of the intended stations remained in the otherwise featureless desert, along with occasional streaks of track peeking out from the sand. Sitting alone in an empty landscape, these photographs of distant ruins tell a story, and are a spark to collective memory – about the individuals who built them, about the people who died when they were destroyed – and, like all ruins, more than anything they are reminders of our own mortality.
In cultures wealthy enough to clean and refurbish buildings when they grow old – or to replace them with shiny new ones – ruins are reminders of what we have been through, every bit as much as a gleaming memorial plaque.
• Conflict, Time, Photography runs at Tate Modern, London, until March 15. Visit www.tate.org.uk for more information.
Dan Hancox is a regular contributor to The Review. His work can be found in The Guardian, Prospect and New Statesman.
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RESULTS
1.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh 50,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner AF Almomayaz, Hugo Lebouc (jockey), Ali Rashid Al Raihe (trainer)
2pm Handicap (TB) Dh 84,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner Karaginsky, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
2.30pm Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Sadeedd, Ryan Curatolo, Nicholas Bachalard.
3pm Conditions (TB) Dh 100,000 (D) 1,950m
Winner Blue Sovereign, Clement Lecoeuvre, Erwan Charpy.
3.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh 76,000 (D) 1,800m
Winner Tailor’s Row, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer.
4pm Maiden (TB) Dh 60,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Bladesmith, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar.
4.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh 68,000 (D) 1,000m
Winner Shanaghai City, Fabrice Veron, Rashed Bouresly.
MORE ON IRAN'S PROXY WARS
The biog
Age: 59
From: Giza Governorate, Egypt
Family: A daughter, two sons and wife
Favourite tree: Ghaf
Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense
Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
PAKISTAN SQUAD
Pakistan - Sarfraz Ahmed (captain), Azhar Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Babar Azam, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Hafeez, Haris Sohail, Faheem Ashraf, Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Aamer Yamin, Rumman Raees.
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
A MINECRAFT MOVIE
Director: Jared Hess
Starring: Jack Black, Jennifer Coolidge, Jason Momoa
Rating: 3/5
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
THE SPECS
GMC Sierra Denali 1500
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Price: Dh232,500
FFP EXPLAINED
What is Financial Fair Play?
Introduced in 2011 by Uefa, European football’s governing body, it demands that clubs live within their means. Chiefly, spend within their income and not make substantial losses.
What the rules dictate?
The second phase of its implementation limits losses to €30 million (Dh136m) over three seasons. Extra expenditure is permitted for investment in sustainable areas (youth academies, stadium development, etc). Money provided by owners is not viewed as income. Revenue from “related parties” to those owners is assessed by Uefa's “financial control body” to be sure it is a fair value, or in line with market prices.
What are the penalties?
There are a number of punishments, including fines, a loss of prize money or having to reduce squad size for European competition – as happened to PSG in 2014. There is even the threat of a competition ban, which could in theory lead to PSG’s suspension from the Uefa Champions League.
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Pox that threatens the Middle East's native species
Camelpox
Caused by a virus related to the one that causes human smallpox, camelpox typically causes fever, swelling of lymph nodes and skin lesions in camels aged over three, but the animal usually recovers after a month or so. Younger animals may develop a more acute form that causes internal lesions and diarrhoea, and is often fatal, especially when secondary infections result. It is found across the Middle East as well as in parts of Asia, Africa, Russia and India.
Falconpox
Falconpox can cause a variety of types of lesions, which can affect, for example, the eyelids, feet and the areas above and below the beak. It is a problem among captive falcons and is one of many types of avian pox or avipox diseases that together affect dozens of bird species across the world. Among the other forms are pigeonpox, turkeypox, starlingpox and canarypox. Avipox viruses are spread by mosquitoes and direct bird-to-bird contact.
Houbarapox
Houbarapox is, like falconpox, one of the many forms of avipox diseases. It exists in various forms, with a type that causes skin lesions being least likely to result in death. Other forms cause more severe lesions, including internal lesions, and are more likely to kill the bird, often because secondary infections develop. This summer the CVRL reported an outbreak of pox in houbaras after rains in spring led to an increase in mosquito numbers.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
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If you go
The flights
Etihad and Emirates fly direct from the UAE to Chicago from Dh5,215 return including taxes.
The hotels
Recommended hotels include the Intercontinental Chicago Magnificent Mile, located in an iconic skyscraper complete with a 1929 Olympic-size swimming pool from US$299 (Dh1,100) per night including taxes, and the Omni Chicago Hotel, an excellent value downtown address with elegant art deco furnishings and an excellent in-house restaurant. Rooms from US$239 (Dh877) per night including taxes.
Match info
What: Fifa Club World Cup play-off
Who: Al Ain v Team Wellington
Where: Hazza bin Zayed Stadium, Al Ain
When: Wednesday, kick off 7.30pm
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Croatia v Hungary, Thursday, 10.45pm, UAE
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
