Evidence by Diana Matar

Evidence is the cumulation of six years work on political disappearance by the photographer Diana Matar. Years ago the artist’s father-in-law, a Libyan opposition leader, was kidnapped by the Egyptian secret service and handed over to the Gaddafi regime; he has been missing ever since.

‘This small, intimate book packs a powerful punch.’ Cheryl Newman, The Telegraph

The first third of the book is a meditation on absence told through photographs and excerpts of letters written by the artist to her missing father-in-law, Jaballa. Slowly the book begins to change as it is made clear that Jaballa’s actions have implications for her own life and her family’s safety. As she travels through London, Libya, Italy and California, the images and diary entries take one on a journey through contemporary history.

Crafted as an homage to one man, the book shows the cruel effects of dictatorship on intimate relationships and family life.