This episode is an intense one. It’s with multi-Walkley Award-winning Australian photographer Andrew Quilty who has spent the past eight years living and working in the Afghanistan capital Kabul, documenting the conflict for publications around the world. We talk about the details of the decades-long occupation and go into the story of that day - one year ago - when the Taliban arrived at the gates of Kabul as the allied forces and tens of thousands of Afghans tried to flee in scenes of chaos and tragedy (which he shares in his new book August in Kabul).
But, really, this conversation is more about meaning. And what makes life worthwhile when the standard accoutrements are stripped away by destruction and human ugliness? I recommend looking up Andrew's photographs as you listen to him in this episode share his very raw account of life in a war zone, his take on the morality of capturing and sharing images of humans in their worst moments, as well as his very intimate reflections on finding meaning in “homecoming”.
Andrew’s book, August in Kabul is out this week
Scroll his photographs as you listen
We mention Sebastian Junger’s Tribe… you can grab it here
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