Pravi Put Gallery Opened With Exhibition By Solic

Pravi put gallery was opened with an exhibition by Nikola Solic, Reuters` photographer who was the last one to take Sadam Hussein`s picture.

Pravi put (Right Way) gallery was opened, as we announced before, on Wednesday, April 4, across the street from the Rive put night club (Wrong Way), in the same courtyard.

At the address 3 Runjanin st., together with a birth of a new gallery, an exhibition opening was held last night of reporter photographies by the Reuters` photographer, but also the founder of Pravi put – Nikola Solic.

The exhibition called “Baghdad sunsets” was created under the circumstances of his stay in Iraq, of course, on Reuters` mission to wait for the trial of Sadam Hussein.

Solic says how it was him accidentally to officially photograph Sadam last before his execution, because it was simply his “shift” when it happened. Dozen official world agency photographers had the same task and everything was, of course, under the watchful eye of FBI.

Solic constantly came across various banns of photographing in Baghdad and apart from shooting Sadam`s execution, he did not have much to do. He would thus go to the roof every evening, according to him, with a beer and a camera and photograph sunsets. This interesting and impressive exhibition came out of it, witnessing historic moments, but their context as well.

The exhibition is conceived in a way that below each photograph of sunset there are telegraphic short news, for instance of deceased experts on explosive deactivation, on dozens of kidnapped or killed people…, while around 500 photos of Solic`s one-month long stay in Baghdad could be viewed from the projector. Among these were also the final photos of one of world`s greatest dictators of the newer age, Sadam Hussein. Sounds of authentic Arabian music completed the impression.

Many of these photos were proclaimed photos of the day, week or month by Reuters. The photograph below was pronounced photo of the year, for instance. Sponsor of this exhibition, when it came to the development of large photo formats, was Reuters as well.

Solic started this exhibition with the intention to do something new in this city and to open a way, the “Right Way” with his photos and other artists who will exhibit and, of course, everyone else who is interested. Next in store, according to him, will be the exhibition of six Albanian photographers from Kosovo.

With the opening of the gallery and the exhibition, Solic`s birthday was also celebrated. Celebrations including lamb and vine went on long into the night. An interesting crowd gathered of home and foreign photo-reporters, journalists, adventurers, artists and inquisitives. The opening speech was held by Solic`s best man. Here is a part of the atmosphere.