Mama Nyuamungna, Rwandan Refugee Camp, Lumnusi, Tanzania 1994

Fazal Sheikh made this photograph of Mama Nyuamungna at a Rwandan refugee camp in Lumnusi, Tanzania. It’s a quiet photo, all soft grays and browns, and it feels very still, like time is standing. The way she's sitting, so composed, almost regal, even though the setting looks really tough. There's something about the textures – the rough-hewn bench, the fabric of her dress, the dry grasses – that tells a story of resilience. The light is diffused, creating this hazy atmosphere that blurs the edges of everything. If you zoom in you can see every crease in her clothing, every line on her face, but it’s the gesture that gets me. The way she rests her head in her hand, it speaks volumes about her experiences. It reminds me a little of August Sander’s portraits, in that it presents a simple and direct image of a person in their environment, but it also pushes against the idea of photography as a neutral or objective medium. There's a clear sense of respect and empathy here, which makes the photograph more meaningful.