Visitors at the ‘The Last Sky’ photo exhibition, featuring 60 mobile phone photographs from Gaza, that opened at the Fine Arts College Gallery, Palayam on Saturday.
‘The Last Sky,’ a photo exhibition that opened at the Fine Arts College Gallery, Palayam on Saturday, serves as a visceral and disturbing reminder of the genocide in Gaza. The exhibition, featuring 60 mobile phone photographs taken by Santhosh Kumar S.S. during his 220-day tenure with the United Nations Emergency Medical Team, offers a rare, first-hand account from the frontlines of one of the most devastating conflicts of the 21st century.
The exhibition was inaugurated by Thiruvananthapuram district panchayat president V. Priyadarshini. Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Ms. Priyadarshini highlighted the disproportionate impact of war on women and children. She remarked that the images were “deeply disturbing” and difficult to view for extended periods, as they laid bare the “power of hunger” and the utter breakdown of human dignity. She also expressed concern over the global trend of silencing or “banning” artists and intellectuals who attempt to represent the Palestinian cause, wishing that the horrors captured in ‘The Last Sky’ would never be repeated.
Dr. Santhosh Kumar, a Professor of Emergency Medicine who has served in nearly 50 conflict zones and disaster-hit regions, provided a sobering perspective on the limitations of humanitarian aid. He noted that in modern warfare, only about 30% of those affected can typically be rescued. For him, the act of photography was not merely artistic but a professional obligation. He emphasized that for doctors working in such zones, photographs serve as essential forensic evidence and proof of war crimes to be presented in international courts.
Reflecting on the geopolitical dimensions of the crisis, Dr. Santosh stated that the ongoing genocide has exposed the cruelty of a world where powerful nations operate with impunity, irrespective of international law. He further offered a provocative critique of global complicity, suggesting that by providing aid to the occupying forces, many are indirectly part of the devastation.
The exhibition arrives in the capital after successful runs in Kozhikode, Kannur, and the Kochi-Muziris Biennale. Dr. Santhosh expressed his desire for the entirety of Kerala to witness these frames, asserting that everyone of us should recognise the gravity of the situation and the fact that one of their own stood witness to it.
The exhibition is open to the public daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Fine Arts College Gallery till January 31. Entry is free.
Published – January 25, 2026 11:50 pm IST
