Forgotten Afghanistan

Forgotten Afghanistan, the project that I have been photographing for the past three years, seeks to tell stories of the continuing suffering of the Afghan people after the bombs and rockets have fallen. These photographs give a clear view into the lives of disabled Afghans. The people that I have photographed and interviewed are disabled victims from the war with the Soviets, 1979-1989, the Civil War, 1992-1996, and the war against the Taliban, 1996-2001. After working in Afghanistan for almost nine years, I have learned that showing my photographs and telling stories of the disabled can open closed minds, change opinions, and refine attitudes. The majority of the American people are apathetic about anything that has to do with the War in Afghanistan. It is easier not to look. My hope is that viewers of these photographs will see and feel the overwhelming qualities of physical, spiritual and psychological strength shown by these disabled victims in Afghanistan. Perhaps this will create more concern and interest in what happens to Afghanistan upon the coming U.S. withdrawal. I have always tried to, above all else, keep each person's dignity intact. I strive to take a photograph that is balanced in its composition and focused on the subjects’ inner qualities, as well as show their disabilities. Working on this project has humbled me beyond words and I hope that it will stir compassion in others. What has kept me working on this project is the psychological and spiritual uplift that I derive from the tenacity and the inner strength of the Afghan people. Equally inspiring is their ability to move forward with life despite huge obstacles and suffering. These qualities have kept Afghanistan from falling to foreign powers throughout history, underscoring the geopolitical importance of the country.

Gloriann Liu has been a photographer for over twenty years. She received her Bachelorâ??s Degree in Art from Wichita State University and subsequently attended the Art Institute of Kansas City. She taught Art and Photography in Kansas City, Missouri for twenty years. Now residing in San Luis Obispo, California, she is applying her efforts toward increasing awareness of social issues facing our global community. To this end, she is working with several nongovernmental organizations with activities in the Middle- East and Central Asia.