Name: Everyday objects, tragic histories
Uploaded: 2014-08-22T14:40:51Z
Duration: 4 min 18 s
Description: Ziyah Gafić photographs everyday objects—watches, shoes, glasses. But these images are deceptively simple; the items in them have been exhumed from the mass graves of the Bosnian War. Gafić, a TED Fellow and Sarajevo native, is photographing every item from these graves in order to create a living archive of the identities of those lost.

Ziyah Gafić photographs everyday objects—watches, shoes, glasses. But these images are deceptively simple; the items in them have been exhumed from the mass graves of the Bosnian War. Gafić, a TED Fellow and Sarajevo native, is photographing every item from these graves in order to create a living archive of the identities of those lost. 

Ziyah Gafić: Everyday objects, tragic histories

Everyday objects, tragic histories

Genocide's stealth, marked by victims carrying everyday items, underscores its sudden horror. Mundane objects become poignant memorials.

Through photography, a narrative emerges, transforming simple objects from Bosnian mass graves into powerful identifiers of lost lives.

Everyday items, a testament to the victims' identity, ensure the tragedy of genocide is remembered, challenging oblivion with empathy.