03 - The Exhibition
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WALL
From October 7 to the war in Gaza
Multimedia Exhibition
"How much longer must Palestinians endure the fear and violence of the occupation? How much longer must Israelis send their children to die just to safeguard their very existence as Jews?"
Nino Orto
The exhibition
A human perspective on both sides of the wall
A multimedia exhibition offering a raw, human glimpse into life on both sides of the divide, seen through the rare lens of someone who crosses the wall.
Spanning more than a decade of reporting, this exhibition offers an objective look into a conflict forged not just by politics and war, but by personal dreams, fears, and hopes. Marking three years since the Hamas attacks and the war in Gaza, it traces a journey through the resilience of two peoples who struggle to see beyond their shared lens of fear.
Reporting from the front lines of a complex war, the author crossed physical and human divides to amplify voices on both sides and experience the emotional toll of life under fire. The exhibition acts as a metaphor for an inner journey, probing the human spirit when faced with existential danger.
This exhibition challenges viewers to see past physical borders and official accounts, unveiling a common humanity too often overlooked by global media. Through its imagery, the project amplifies the delicate threads of connection that still withstand division and extremism. These fragments of hope and interconnected lives stand as a quiet, compelling plea for reflection, deeper understanding, and a fundamental change of perspective.
Author's Note
“I spent three years crossing back and forth over the wall, surrounded by friends who worried every time I stepped across their respective ‘enemy lines.’ Three years accompanied by a rollercoaster of emotions that has escorted me for over a decade in this passage that, to me, has become metaphysical. Paddling a canoe up the river into the heart of the forest, just like in Conrad’s narrative.
I have experienced every military escalation on the ground, navigating through stories of hatred, resentment, and mistrust. I have listened to testimonies of pain, disbelief, courage, pride, resistance, and resilience. The conflict that erupted on October 7th is no longer just a matter of military strategy, territory, or moral justice. Today, it strikes at the deepest chords of both peoples—an existential crisis that spares no one.
How much longer must Palestinians endure the fear and violence of the occupation? How much longer must Israelis send their children to die just to safeguard their very existence as Jews? How much blood and how much hatred on both sides will it take to reach the breaking point and finally say: enough?
October 7th shattered every balance, radicalising even the most moderate on both sides—the very people who, despite all our external proclamations, were quietly planting seeds of peace and building bridges. People like Ahmed, Ami, Aviv, Samar, Mujahid, Aliza, and Nissan, who wove threads of hope away from the spotlight. Arm in arm, fully aware of the complexities of a conflict with global reverberations."
Nino Orto
Con il patrocinio di
The author
Nino Orto
Nino Orto is an independent journalist specialising in geopolitics and Middle Eastern conflicts, with a particular focus on Iraq, Syria, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and regional warfare dynamics.