Commander Anwar, Jegdalek, Afghanistan 1983

Curator: It's Ed Grazda's photograph, "Commander Anwar, Jegdalek, Afghanistan" from 1983, a gelatin-silver print. It presents a moment of respite amid conflict, framed in stark black and white. Editor: The first thing that hits me is this heavy quiet, the way the light pools around them. There's an intensity in the way they’re caught mid-thought, the dust motes practically visible in the air. It’s as if time is suspended, almost suffocatingly so. Curator: Precisely. It was taken during the Soviet-Afghan War, a period fraught with political turmoil and humanitarian crisis. These men are Mujahideen fighters, caught in what seems to be a moment of strategy, or perhaps just quiet contemplation. Editor: Right. It makes you think about how many faces you DON'T see in the official stories. This feels real in a way that grand narratives never can. It is just raw human beingness— the creases in their clothes, the mismatched light through a window that is also letting the elements inside... like we are *there* in a way. Curator: I agree. Grazda’s lens avoids glorifying conflict; it is less a document of military action and more a study of how individuals adapt to pervasive uncertainty. The confined space itself—the mud walls, the low ceiling— emphasizes the limits of their world at that moment. The strategic layout, of the subjects sitting along the sides, creates a feeling of tension, that is so subtle yet impossible to ignore. Editor: And that tea set, too. So ordinary. It tells me more than a thousand battle scenes ever could. These touches highlight an intimate moment rather than any kind of epic drama. Also note how close these are to those we consider daily comforts in our current lifestyles, so seeing it with such struggle surrounding, is even more impactful. Curator: Ultimately, the image serves as a powerful reminder of the humanity present even amidst war, and that such intimate snapshots are necessary, valuable tools to comprehend our society, as well as others. Editor: A stark snapshot of life and death—not only is it haunting but utterly unforgettable. What a find.