In 2007 and 2008, photographers Paul Dixon and Lexi Namer traveled to Peru and Sierra Leone with the hope that photography could heal the scars of violence. Dixon traveled to Sierra Leone to work with iEarn, an organization in the capital of Freetown that uses education to rehabilitate youth who have suffered from war and its effects. Namer worked in Ayacucho with La Casa Hogar Los Gorriones, an orphanage in the poorest district of the town, taking in children from broken, weakened, and dysfunctional families, many of whom are disabled.
Join For By For for the opening reception of its second exhibition, "Through Their Eyes", featuring the photography of Sewanee alumni Lexi Namer and Paul Dixon, who hope to show that photography can heal the scars of violence. A unique exhibition, "Through Their Eyes" features not only the photography of Namer and Dixon, but also displays the work resulting from digital photography classes that both respectively implemented for youth organizations in Peru and Sierra Leone. Working at Casa Hogar Los Gorriones, an orphanage for the diabled and marginalized in the poorest district in Ayacucho, Peru, Namer helped the children use their cameras as a voice to share their stories and express their voices in a fun and creative way. Dixon worked at iEarn, an organization in the war-town capital of Freetown dedicated to rehabiliating youth, Sierra Leone, to educate and empower his students through photography to heal beyond their war-ravaged past. Both used the cameras as a tool for change, and "Through Their Eyes" documents the ultimate example of art for the greater good. All proceeds from the exhibition will go directly towards iEarn and Casa Hogar Los Gorriones.
Paul Dixon, Freetown, Sierra Leone
