Syrians fleeing their homes to escape civil war retain one crucial line of communication with those left behind. For these refugees, the mundane act of texting is transformed into an exchange of precious communiques that confirm the survival or death of their loved ones.
In Texting Syria, Toronto-based photographer LiamMaloney examines mobile phone technology as a conduit for the struggles and strength of Syrians exiled in Lebanon. His photographic portraits, audio recordings and reproductions of refugees' real text messages combine in testimony to the private dramas of wartime, exposing intimate parallel narratives beyond those that are represented in conventional documentary photography.His innovative and multi-sensory approach to documenting Syrian refugees' experiences has led Maloney to become a recipient of the Prix Dazibao, as well as being nominated for Picture Story of the Year by the News Photographers Association of Canada. Texting Syria has been exhibited in Canada, the US, Turkey, Norway and Switzerland.
