Current exhibition

Afghanistan: Between Life and War by Paula Bronstein

From my very first visit in late 2001 I was drawn to the country’s astounding landscape along with a story that was both compelling and challenging. This photo book project, “Afghanistan Between Life and War”, visually tells a heart warming and heartbreaking story of Afghans living against the backdrop of war. While I was embedded with U.S forces on occasion the book exclusively draws on work from my independent photography of the war torn country. It focuses on how Afghan people conducted their lives against a backdrop of an unceasing violent war and a brutal Taliban insurgency. As a female photojournalist working in a conservative Muslim country, my perspective brings us a more intimate look at the plight of Afghan women following their daily life struggles. I also have focused on important issues dealing with heroin addiction, poverty, healthcare and education.

Over the years I have tried to focus on stories that bring a voice to people who have none. The gains women have made are an especially visible index of change, but also a reminder that progress is fragile and could be completely reversed by the Taliban. In quite a few parts of the country, Afghan females still maintain a classic subordinate position in a world where conservative Islamic traditions dictate what a woman is allowed to do in a male dominated world. For them, they live in a world that allows females little freedom to choose and are quite often viewed as property.