‘The Theatre of War‘ is an exhibition of photographs dedicated to the work of some of the newest members of Magnum: Peter Van Agtmael, Moises Saman, Jerome Sessini and limited edition posthumous prints by the late Tim Hetherington, whose Estate joined the agency after his death in Libya in April 2011.

The exhibition addresses the subject that Tim Hetherington was exploring in his photography, when he was tragically killed, which is the self-conscious theatricality of the combatants he documented as they played out their roles. This exhibition brings together a unique set of images which capture the protagonists of war and their stages – the territories over which these recent conflicts have raged: Liberia, Egypt, Syria and Libya.

The following photos are from Syria, and I am posting them here together with the verses of a great Syrian poet, Nizar Qabbani.

© Moises Saman/ Magnum Photos

أدمنت احزاني
فصرت اخاف ان لا احزنا
I got addicted to my sorrows,
Until I have gotten scared of not being sorrowed.

© Moises Saman/ Magnum Photos

وطعنت آلافا من المرات
حتى صار يوجعني بان لا اطعنا
And I was stabbed thousands of times,
Until it felt painful not to be stabbed.

© Jerome Sessini/ Magnum Photos

ولعنت في كل اللغات
حتى صار يقلقني بان لا العنا
And I was cursed in all the languages,
Until I started being nervous of not being cursed.

© Jerome Sessini/ Magnum Photos

ولقد تشابهت كل البلاد
فلا ارى نفسي هناك، ولا ارى نفسي هنا
And all the countries seemed the same,
That I don’t see myself there, And I don’t see myself here.

For more on The Theatre of War exhibition, go to Magnum Photos.