Misan Harriman: a Marathon on Eggshells

Misan Harriman is a Nigerian-born British photographer with an outstanding career. Not only has he portrayed a series of celebrities, from Tom Cruise to Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, but he has documented a range of causes including Black Lives Matter, Extinction Rebellion and the ceasefire protests. He tries to give those involved the same intimate and dramatic treatment he gives to the world’s rich and famous.

In July 2021, Harriman was appointed Chair of the board of trustees for Southbank Centre, London, and in 2023 he directed his first film, The After, which was nominated for the 2024 Academy Awards.

But he doesn’t just stick behind his camera but speaks up about the ills he sees in the World, and as you will see from the video below, he does so with great wisdom and sensitivity. 

He tells us:

I’ve been vocal about every movement I’ve been involved in whether it’s Sudan, Somalia, Yemen, Afghanistan, Syria, the Americas, Australia, just globally.

But, there is one where you risk your livelihood and that’s Palestine. Speaking about Palestine is like running a Marathon of Eggshells

Speaking from experience of people he knows, he says:

You can scream about all the ills of the World but if you say a thing about Palestine, and for many people you’re in real trouble..….. you’ll be deplatformed real quick

Many people have had to develop a cadence, a language…. you have to police how you feel so you can continue to have a voice and help those who don’t have a voice.

You don’t have to be silent but you have be very smart as to how you use your voice, because you mustn’t lose it and the voiceless need it.

One might say that, living in a fashion-conscious World, it is a case of the higher they rise, the harder they fall.

However, Harriman is living proof that it is possible to survive in such rarefied milieux, while denouncing the ills of the World. We hope to see more like him.

Why I turned my camera from Hollywood to Palestine

Harriman further develops his ideas on this topic in this Middle East Eye interview. It’s 57 minutes long, but here are some of his key points.

Harriman speaks about leading celebrities, people like Taylor Swift, the Kardashians, Ronaldo, Byoncé, Messi and David Beckham, saying:

None have made statements about the biggest loss of children’s life in history

Many high-profile celebrities are Ambassadors to childrens’ charities, but most have not spoken up about the children of Gaza. David Beckham, Ambassador for UNICEF, could potentially have most impact in this area.

But rather than judging fellow celebrities for their silence, he begs them for their voice.

They should forget what publicists and managers say and listen to their own hearts and speak out for people and children who are being erased by the most advanced killing machine mankind has ever seen. Their fans are gradually seeking more of this – they want more than vibes - and Harriman thinks that it will be the next stage of celebrity culture, so speaking out may also be a good business decision.

He doesn’t avoid the topic of Hamas, but makes the obvious comment about journalists who fail to ask: how do people become Hamas? If you kill generations of any people, they will resist.

The large ceasefire marches provide an amazing opportunity for humans of diverse backgrounds to connect with one another, and Harriman seeks to capture this on film. Starting at 46.50 minutes into the video, he describes a brief encounter between a lady in a hijab with two small children, and another woman wearing a Queers for Palestine tea shirt. Unfortunately, he didn’t catch it on film, but noted the warm emotions evoked between the parties.

they never spoke, but touched each other in a way that neither of them will forget for as long as they live

For me, this is the greatest achievement of the big marches. They are poorly covered by the mainstream media and their impact on the political establishment in uncertain, but they bring together a massive diversity of ethnic, religious and cultural groups for a common cause, in the service of humanity.