From Distance to Solidarity –
Exhibition Design for Doctors Without Borders at Oslo Negativ.
Exhibition concept and design.
Doctors Without Borders was founded in 1971 by both doctors and journalists, with a dual purpose: to provide medical care where it is needed most and to report on what they witness in the field.
Humanitarian documentary photography has long aimed to create engagement and inspire action. At the same time, this tradition has often been shaped by a Western perspective that repeats stereotypical portrayals of people as helpless victims. The result is distance rather than connection. This exhibition challenges that perspective — a shift Doctors Without Borders itself has also begun.
All photographs in the exhibition were created by artists rooted in the places where Doctors Without Borders works. The 30 photographers represent 22 countries. They have ethnic, cultural, or linguistic ties to the people and communities they depict, unlike traditional photojournalists who are sent from other parts of the world. The images were selected in collaboration with colleagues around the world who share similar backgrounds or identities, including staff involved in the organization’s DEI and anti-racism work.
The exhibition was shown in the basement of the former National Gallery in Oslo during the Oslo Negativ 2025 photo festival. The goal was a neutral and simple design. The photographs were printed on textile banners inspired by curtains used in temporary field hospitals. The banners were hung from the ceiling, across ventilation ducts and technical pipes, allowing the entire room to be used. The exhibition can easily be rolled up and shipped to new locations around the world, avoiding the need for heavy frames or glass
