Peshawar, Pakistan 1982

This is a photograph by Ed Grazda, called Peshawar, Pakistan. The whole image is rendered in tones of grey, and I notice the careful composition that elevates the documentary subject matter into something more studied. The boys cleaning the wheels are a striking aspect of the work. They are working on wheels detached from a large truck that is looming over them with its bonnet up. I'm drawn to the contrast between the simplicity of their labour and the ornate decoration of the vehicle. I imagine that, at the time, it may have seemed like a familiar and everyday scene. But looking at it now, years later, I'm struck by the contrast in scale and the vulnerability of the children. It reminds me of some of the black and white work of Helen Levitt, who elevated everyday street scenes into memorable images. Photography can freeze a moment in time, but it also leaves space for our imagination to reflect on the subjects depicted and their place in the world.