pool

susan.dirgham

Work

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Skills and Interests

Film & Video, Writing, Visual Arts & Photography,

Location

Melbourne, Victoria

A bit about me…

I spent 2004 and 2005 teaching English at the British Council in Damascus, and felt very much at home in this city, with the people. (I'd taught some years in central China in the 70s, and while my son was growing up in suburbia looked forward to another opportunity to work overseas once more.)

In November and December 2008, I returned to Damascus with a digital camera; I aimed to present the spirit and energy of the people as well as the city as it appears to them, not to focus on an 'exotic' I might create. When I returned to Melbourne, I discovered Pool and posted some of my favourite images, trying to give a story or text to most of them. In May this year, I was back in Damascus with my camera and a recorder, wanting to put images and audio onto Pool. And in October 09, I returned for a couple of weeks to spend time with Denise, an Australian friend working with Palestinian refugees, and Fatie, a wonderful, larger than life person that Manchester lost to Damascus more than 50 years ago. (My digital camera had been stolen a few weeks prior to this trip, so I took my very neglected video camera.)

What draws me back to Damascus is the humanity, the sense of a common history, the beauty and wonder of he Old City, dusty Mt Qassioun, the diversity, and the touching kindness of its people - friends and strangers.

Currently working on…

filming the people in my life who are larger than life; a project idea for filming interviews of women in Damascus

Interested in joining others to work on…

whatever ...

Personal website

[ http://sdirgham.jalbum.net ]

Groups

[Gene Pool]