Yemen: A Fractured Reality
Solo Exhibition by Asmaa Waguih
February 13 - March 13, 2025
The Photographic Gallery in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication curated Yemen: A Fractured Reality, an exhibition by award-winning photojournalist Asmaa Waguih. The exhibition focused on the people of Yemen caught in a tragic civil war. This exhibition followed the gallery’s series of photographic shows that highlight contemporary visual media from global conflict zones.
Over the past decade, the proxy war in Yemen has largely remained off the radar of international media. Much of the coverage focused on the Saudi-led coalition's campaigns aimed at dislodging the Houthi rebel group and restoring Yemen’s internationally recognized government. However, following Houthi attacks on Israel-bound ships crossing the Arabian Sea and the Red Sea—in retaliation for Israel’s assault on Gaza—the world began to take notice of Yemen and the growing power of the rebel group. Acting as a proxy for the Iran-led Axis of Resistance, the group has come to dominate the southern part of the Arabian Peninsula.
Caught in this conflict between foreign actors are the people of Yemen, who continue to suffer from this endless war. With her camera, Asmaa Waguih took viewers on a visual tour across Yemen—from the bustling markets of the capital, Sana'a, to the shores of Hodeidah, the western port city that became a lifeline for Houthi-controlled territories. Her series of photographs captured daily life in the eastern city of Marib, the besieged cultural hub of Taiz and the fragmented territory of South Yemen. Her work centers on the humanitarian crisis in this forgotten proxy war, telling the story of a people suffering in silence under repeated cycles of destruction. Waguih’s powerful images highlight the resilience of the Yemeni people, giving a broader picture of a country turned into a battlefield by international proxy players.
Asmaa Waguih
Asmaa Waguih is an independent photojournalist based in her hometown of Cairo, with over two decades of experience working with leading agencies around the world. Her work focuses on the Arab world and Islamic communities. She worked for Reuters News Agency for eight years, covering multiple conflicts including the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. She is the recipient of the Reuters Photographer of the Year award for her coverage of the Arab Spring in Egypt, Libya and Syria. Since 2016, she has traveled regularly to Yemen to document the ongoing conflict and recently published the photo book Yemen, an Unfinished War.
