A World in Turmoil
Paula Bronstein
Getty Images
Watch the meeting with Paula Bronstein, moderated by Vincent Jolly https://cloud.imagesevidence.com/index.php/s/5kb6Zq2fsj8CQXC
The 55 images in this exhibition are a retrospective glance at nearly three decades of work. I would like to think that I marry a necessary toughness with a humanitarian compulsion to look at difficult situations. For most of my career I’ve focused on capturing the features and the effects that surround war, political conflict, social injustices, and humanitarian emergencies. It is important to be able to bear witness in a way that’s not graphic or exploitive, to make a strong visual statement, and to induce empathy. I always try to give a visual voice to people typically overlooked.
Working for several of America’s newspapers over a period of fifteen years, I was often in and out of the news stories. In 1998, I moved to South-East Asia to take the deep dive into international work; this retrospective begins with that move. I traveled extensively across Asia, working for photo agencies like Gamma Liaison, and Getty Images Newswire for close to twelve years. I began to understand the power of returning, going deeper into the story, especially when focusing on Afghanistan from 2001 to 2022, documenting Afghans who lived against the backdrop of a never-ending violent war and a brutal Taliban insurgency. In 2016, a selection of my work was published in the award-winning photo book Afghanistan: Between Hope and Fear.
Preview
On February 24, 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine, I was on assignment in Afghanistan for The Wall Street Journal. As the job finished, my gaze pivoted to Ukraine. War had returned to Europe for the first time since World War II, and I had to go. I go back to Ukraine as often as I can, drawn by the strength and endurance of the Ukrainian people, their will to survive and preserve their humanity. I have seen everything to do with the suffering and pain of war along with the immense destruction of daily life. It is heartbreaking to witness, but important to cover, especially given the world’s increasing indifference to the victims of conflict.
As a veteran photojournalist, my age is immaterial. My passion for my work, my energy and my physical ability to do my job are what really matters. I am nowhere near ready to put down my camera. I remain curious and proud to portray what’s possible. Photography is an exploration with one pair of eyes, and thankfully I don’t even need glasses at 70 years of age!
Paula Bronstein
