The Artist Chantal Meza and the Political Philosopher Brad Evans discuss their SoD Project. They talk about the Artworks, their understanding of Art, the Politics and Abstraction. This Project is part of the Histories of Violence. You can find more information in the links below. Histories of Violence https://www.historiesofviolence.com/ State of Disappearance https://www.chantal-meza.com/stateofdisappearance Chantal Meza https://www.chantal-meza.com/ Brad Evans https://www.brad-evans.co.uk/

Images and reflections from an event at the the University to mark International Women's Day 2026 focussing on the themes of the missing and the disappeared. The University’s Artistic Engagement and Impact Research Fellow, renowned Mexican painter Chantal Meza, provided a tour of her evocative collection ‘State of Disappearance’, and Emily Knox, Head of Restoring Family Links from the British Red Cross, gave a talk on the international advocacy work done to support families living with the missing and the disappeared with a particular focus on women and children.

Mexican painter Chantal Meza's artwork features in the State of Disappearance exhibition in The Chancellors' Building, bringing attention to the global problem of enforced disappearances. The exhibition launched on 26 September 2024, the day that poignantly marked the 10th anniversary of the disappearance of 43 students from Ayotzinapa (Mexico). https://www.bath.ac.uk/announcements/state-of-disappearance-exhibition-launched-on-campus/

Indira Navarro Leader of the searching mother's collective "Guerreros Buscadores de Jalisco" México. June, 2025. "Disappearance of Worlds" Solo Exhibition - Chantal Meza. The Pembroke College EMery Gallery, University of Oxford. United Kingdom. June, 2025. To know more about Guerreros Buscadores de Jalisco go to: https://www.facebook.com/p/Guerreros-Buscadores-De-Jalisco-61555458753120/ To know more about the Disappearance of Worlds exhibition go to: https://www.historiesofviolence.com/disappearanceofworlds

In this webinar (part of 'The Disappeared of History Global Webinar Series') we spoke to Everardo González, a Mexican director who is considered one of the strongest voices in the documentary genre in Latin America. Everardo's filmography includes Pulque Song (2003), The Old Thieves (2007), The Open Sky (2011), Drought (2011) and El Paso (2015), all screened and awarded at various festivals like Berlin, IDFA, Toulouse, Locarno, Montreal, BAFICI, Sarajevo, Guadalajara and Morelia. His film Devil’s Freedom (2017) was awarded the Amnesty International Film Prize at the Berlinale in 2017. In 2018, he directed A 3 Minute Hug, a Netflix Original in Latin America. He collaborated with the New York Times OpDocs with the film Children from the Narcozone, which was nominated for a News and Doc Emmy Award. His most recent film, A Wolf Pack called Ernesto (2024), has young gang members tell their chilling, occasionally poetic stories, revealing the ease with which violent organisations target young people in Mexico. Everardo is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and the Academia Mexicana de Artes y Ciencias Cinematográficas. He is also the founder of the Mexican Documentary Net, which looks for social, political, and cultural impact for bringing documentary filmmakers better conditions for the future. In 2007, he founded Artegios, a production and distribution company based in Mexico City, which focuses on international documentaries. Its main goal is to release documentary films mainly in Mexico and Latin America. Artegios also serves as a platform for workshops on documentary research, ethics, and production. *Information correct at time of production. The views and opinions of those taking part in this video are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Bath. Read our full disclaimer.

Official opening of the Disappearance of Worlds exhibition, featuring a conversation between the artist Chantal Meza and acclaimed art writer and journalist Will Gompertz which was held at the Pichette Auditorium, Pembroke College, University of Oxford on June 6th, 2025. Introductions provided by The Rt Hon Sir Ernest Ryder (Master, Pembroke College), Caroline Douilliez (ICRC), Dr. Michelle Castelletti (Oxford Festival of the Arts) and Vanessa Gouws (Pembroke College)

As part of 'The Disappeared of History Global Webinar Series', we spoke to Dr Luis Fondebrider. Luis is a leading Argentine forensic anthropologist, internationally recognised for his contribution to the analysis and documentation of human rights violations, as well as for his work in the recovery and identification of the victims of enforced disappearance. Founder of the Argentine Forensic Anthropology Team (EAAF), he was president of the organisation until 2021 and director of the Forensic Unit of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) between 2021 and 2022. With more than 40 years of experience in the field, he has advised national and international courts, UN commissions, human rights organisations, and governments around the world on more than 1,200 cases. In 2020, the EAAF was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize, and, during his career, he has led forensic investigations in more than 65 countries, including in contexts of political, ethnic and migration-related violence, and of armed conflict. His work has ranged from the application of forensic techniques to advising on the creation of international human rights and transitional justice policies and protocols. *Information correct at time of production. The views and opinions of those taking part in this video are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Bath. Read our full disclaimer.

As part of 'The Disappeared of History Global Webinar Series', we hosted Caroline Douilliez-Sabouba, the Head of the Red Cross Red Crescent Missing Persons Centre, within the ICRC Central Tracing Agency. Building on ICRC’s CTA 150 years of experience working for families separated as a result of armed conflict, migration and disasters, the centre develops the advisory role of the Central Tracing Agency, through advocacy efforts, systemic support, and sharing knowledge. The centre is a partnership with the Australian, British, and Kenyan Red Cross. *Information correct at time of production. The views and opinions of those taking part in this video are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Bath. Read our full disclaimer.

As part of 'The Disappeared of History Global Webinar Series', we hosted Karla Quintana, the Head of the Independent Institution on Missing Persons in the Syrian Arab Republic, following her appointment by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres in December 2024. Born in Mexico, she is a human rights expert and legal scholar with extensive experience in international human rights law, transitional justice, and constitutional law. As the former National Commissioner for the Search of Missing Persons in Mexico, she led efforts to address over 100,000 cases of disappearances and more than 70,000 unidentified bodies. During her tenure, she established the National Registry of Missing Persons and spearheaded key initiatives, such as forensic interventions and contextual analysis. Before this role, Karla served as Head of the Victims’ Federal Public Defence in Mexico, where she led initiatives to enhance access to justice, psychological assistance and reparations for victims of crimes and human rights violations. Earlier in her career, she served as a law clerk at the Supreme Court of Justice of Mexico. She is currently an Associate Researcher at El Colegio de México, focusing on transitional justice and disappearances, and holds a Doctorate in Law (SJD) from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), Mexico, a Master of Laws (LLM) from Harvard University, US, and a master’s degree in Gender Studies from the University of Barcelona, Spain. *Information correct at time of production. The views and opinions of those taking part in this video are their own and not necessarily those of the University of Bath. Read our full disclaimer.