Afghanistan: The Perils of Freedom 1993 - 2009
Stephen Dupont
Saturday 19 March - Sunday 1 May
Albury Art Gallery
Between 1993 and 2009, Australian photographer, Stephen Dupont travelled to and from the landlocked and conflict-ridden country of Afghanistan, documenting the rise and fall of several regimes and gaining unparalleled access to political leaders.
Afghanistan: The Perils of Freedom 1993 - 2009, is a retrospective selection of images of the country where Dupont has covered everything from civil war and the rise of the Taliban in the 1990s, to the launch of Operation Enduring Freedom and the ongoing war on terrorism.
His extended focus on the country has resulted in a series of images that vividly depict how life continues during perpetual war (particularly among the people of the Northern Alliance) as well as single images that have helped to define and change the nature of that war.
His images of American soldiers burning the bodies of dead Taliban in Afghanistan not only earned him a rare Robert Capa Gold Medal Award citation from the Overseas Press Club of America in 2005, but also led to policy changes and cultural-awareness training for U.S. troops.
Stephen Dupont is an award-winning photojournalist, documentary filmmaker, and war correspondent. He is internationally recognized for his work in some of the world's most dangerous areas, including Afghanistan, Burma, Cambodia, Iraq, Papua New Guinea, Rwanda, Somalia, and Zaire.
Programs
Opening Night:
6pm Friday 18 March with SBS Dateline Correspondent John Martinkus Albury Art Gallery.
John Martinkus is a print and television journalist renowned for his courageous reporting from conflict zones. He also reported from Afghanistan and Iraq. In October 2004, he was kidnapped outside his hotel in Baghdad by Sunni Insurgents who released him 24 hours later after using the internet to verify his status as a journalist.
Floor Talk:
Join us for a conversation with the artist, Stephen Dupont 10:30am Saturday 19th March
Image Caption: Stephen Dupont Amputee Northern Alliance soldier on frontline at Bagram Airbase, Afghanistan, 1998.-
