The Way Certain Things Stay With You

It always starts the same way: I catch myself remembering something I didn’t mean to remember. A voice, a laugh, the color of the light coming through an old curtain in an apartment I haven’t seen in years. I don’t go looking for these moments—they find me.

There’s one memory in particular that returns more often than the others. It’s late autumn, the air is dry, and we’re walking down a narrow street in a city I didn’t grow up in. You’re talking about something—I wish I could say I remember what—but I was only half-listening. Not because I didn’t care, but because I was so focused on the way your breath looked in the cold, how it disappeared after just a second. I remember thinking, this is probably a moment I’ll want back someday.

And of course, now I do.

What nobody tells you

A New Beginning: Ahmed’s Journey to Hope

Ahmed’s life in Syria was once filled with purpose and promise. As a mechanical engineer, he taught at a local university in Deir ez-Zor, imparting knowledge to eager students. But the war shattered everything. His home was destroyed, and he witnessed unimaginable horrors, including the tragic loss of an infant during a rescue attempt. Fleeing to Bulgaria, he found himself in a refugee camp, grappling with the trauma of war and the uncertainty of the future.

In Sofia, Ahmed faced the daunting challenge of starting anew. The language barrier and lack of formal recognition of his qualifications made finding work in his field nearly impossible. Determined to support his family, he accepted a job with a local company specializing in apartment cleaning in Sofia.

A New Beginning: Ahmed's Journey to Hope
A New Beginning: Ahmed’s

Supper Club

An Evening of Conversation, Collaboration & Community with Giles Duley

You can book tickets here

“For the past few years I have been documenting refugee’s stories across the Middle East and Europe. Its been an experience that has changed my life. My hope is that with these evenings I can repay some of the hospitality and friendship I have received and create an environment that facilitates conversation and understanding. An evening where stories will be shared and action inspired”

Supper Club
Khouloud’s husband Jamal prepares lunch – Bekaa Valley, Lebanon, Feb 2016

“From 4th October till 15th October my exhibition, I Can Only Tell You What My Eyes See, will be showing at the Truman Brewery in London.

In the evenings there will be a gatherings based around food, collaborations and conver

Exhibition Details

Open:

Wednesday 4th Oct – Sunday 15th Oct         10am – 6.30pm

Supper Club details here

Address:

The Old Truman Brewery

F Block T2

89 Brick Lane

E1 6QL

London

THE EXHIBITION Wednesday 4th Oct – Sunday 15th Oct 

“My hope is to reflect the hospitality I have received from refugees whilst making the work in this exhibition, and to create an environment that facilities conversation and understanding. Ultimately it’s about creating a space where stories will be shared and action inspired.” 

The exhibition I Can Only Tell You What My Eyes See is a coming together of stories and storytellers. Over ten days a magical mix of food, music, talks and collaborative art will transform the Truman Brewery into a community where conversations will start, and action inspired.

THE EXHIBITION Wednesday 4th Oct
THE EXHIBITION Wednesday 4th Oct

At its heart, a series of a hundred images by the photographer Giles Duley documenting the refugee crisis for UNHCR. From the horror of boats arriving in Lesvos, to stark portraits of people stood aga