Ed Kashi is an award-winning photojournalist, filmmaker and educator. He has so far spent 20+ years documenting the world’s social and political issues. His images have been published and exhibited all over the world and spawned the release of six books. I recently spoke with Kashi about his vast body of work: how it has affected him and how he hopes it will affect others. [A series of project-specific notes provided by Kashi follow our conversation.]
N/V: When I originally contacted you about doing this interview, you were on assignment in Malawi; you’ve basically just gotten back. Can you share the details of that assignment and that experience?
Kashi: Malawi was… I was working with Open Society Institute, which is a George Soros foundation, and it was a story about pre-trial justice; and it’s part of a global report that they’re doing. I worked with an amazing radio reporter from Maine who teaches at the Salt Institute [for Documentary Studies]: Rob Rosenthal. And so, they’re going to take my photographs and his audio—and I shot some video as well—and create a multimedia piece.
N/V: The nature of your work demands extensive world travel. But setting the work aside for a moment, what has traveling to the extent that you have done for you?
Kashi: Do you want the positive or the negative? [Laughs]
N/V: Both.
Kashi: Well, let’s see, let’s start with the positive side: It’s enriched my life in ways that I could have never imagined; really, that I could have only dreamed or fantasized about. And I feel honored that I’ve had the chance to be privy to so much incredible human drama, human suffering, human beauty; the beauty of the world—without sounding cliché, but it’s true. It’s kind of amazing, all that I’ve been fortunate enough to witness, and learn. I’m basically a professional busybody. I’m curious. I love to ask questions and find out things—and then find out more. And so, in that sense, having the opportunity to travel around the world and see so much has enriched my life in a way that, you know… it’s hard to describe really.
N/V: I’ve traveled nowhere near the extent that you have, but I do what I can; and it always amazes me how much just going to a different state can open your eyes to things, and make you think about things differently. There are constant lessons.
Kashi: And I’ll tell you, even beyond that, just going out the door! [Laughs] The truth is that—we moved from San Francisco to New Jersey six years ago—and it’s interesting even just to work in the New York/New Jersey metropolitan area. I don’t have to go away to be inspired, or to have my eyes opened up; and to have my heart touched, and to have my mind excited. I think it was Paul Strand who said something like, “I could spend the rest of my life in my backyard and never run out of subjects to photograph.” I know that sounds really good and I wish I had actually said it [laughs], but I hold that as a talisman, or as a guide post. And this idea that we have to go to Afghanistan, or Haiti, or… wherever to really experience life or to learn, is not true, it’s not true. Obviously, it’s more amped up and it’s different, so there is a way that it’s more exciting, more romantic, more challenging. But doing that also carries a lot of responsibility.
I think it’s taken a tremendous toll on me, and made it hard for me to sort of settle in and feel relaxed, or feel comfortable.
I don’t do this because it’s cool. I do it because I am committed to trying to tell stories and to make a difference. And at this point in my life, where I have two kids and a wife—a family that I’m really dedicated to and engaged with—there’s a huge toll. You know nothing in life comes for free, it just doesn’t. It’s another cliché that’s true. And so, I miss out on a lot of things that break my heart—with my family, with my friends. It’s a very abnormal life, whatever normal is, but it is definitely abnormal. And so, at this point, after having done this at this level for 20 years—I’ve been a photographer for 30 years, but for 20 years traveling all over the place—I think it’s taken a tremendous toll on me, and made it hard for me to sort of settle in and feel relaxed, or feel comfortable. I wrote last year for a photo blog that I suffer from what I call suspended isolation. And that even when I am home, I can feel incredibly lonely. I can be in my kitchen—and my daughter, and my son, and my wife are around me—and I feel alone. And it’s not their fault, even though I might strike out at them and blame them. [Laughs] But, in some bizarre way, sometimes I feel most at ease when I’m alone in a hotel room with an internet connection.
N/V: It’s amazing to me to hear you say that. It’s something I understand completely.
Kashi: Well, it’s safe. I can be…
N/V: It’s an escape from some of the banal responsibilities of life.
Kashi: Well, there you go, there you go. Yep. And yet you can still be connected. You take the internet connection away from that hotel room, you’re talking a different game now. Now you’re talking about immense loneliness, or isolation. In the past, before we were connected, I would have read a book, or I would’ve written in a journal, or I would have slept more. [Laughs] So now, yeah, it’s a very strange… It’s like a constant state of isolation.
N/V: And how has your work enhanced, or in any way altered your experiences traveling?
Kashi: In a sense, there isn’t a romanticism. But on the other hand, it’s not like it’s a job either. It’s just that I’m trying to be smarter about it all. When I travel, I’m not a great tourist, because I don’t like to see the world from the sort of surface point of view that most tourism—not all, but most tourism—is. But it’s interesting: My mantra, very much, is to keep an open heart and an open mind; in general in life, and particularly when I travel. And so, if I can actually maintain that, I guess I can do something that a tourist does and have a great time.
N/V: Do you feel your work has added a level of access and excitement?
Kashi: Well, and that’s it. Because I go through the world as a journalist, I go through the world asking questions and not settling. I’m not satisfied if you’re just going to let me see what everyone else can see. I want to dig, I want to push, I want to see things that others don’t see, or can’t see, or haven’t seen. Because that’s the only way I know I’m doing my job.
N/V: Do you view your work more as art, or as a tool; is there a difference?
Kashi: Well, the thing about art—especially art with a big “A”—is that’s for others to determine. And I hope that they do with my work, but that’s for others to determine. But, in terms of art with a small “a”—of course that’s part of what I do, because it’s aesthetics. I’m working with a creative medium, and utilizing those aspects—those aesthetic aspects, those creative aspects of my medium enhance my ability to communicate. And not just to an elite who are knowing. But to the average person as well, whether they know it or not. And I don’t mean that in an elitist way.
My main purpose is to try to contribute to the world through stories, by highlighting issues and bringing attention to things, giving a voice to the voiceless…
My main purpose is to try to contribute to the world through stories, by highlighting issues and bringing attention to things, giving a voice to the voiceless; sticking my camera in places that others can’t go so that we know more about what’s going on in the world. So, in the process of doing that, if I achieve either small or big “A” art—great. Great. And obviously that’s my ultimate… purpose.
I think for anyone, it’s that idea of trying to combine content with form. You want your content to be as compelling, and powerful, and credible and unique as possible. And you want your form—or i.e. aesthetics, your art—to be as powerful, and unique, and visionary and beautiful as possible. And when you combine those two; that’s when there’s absolute magic.
And I think as I’ve gotten older, and more experience—and come to feel that this comes with confidence; not arrogance, but confidence—that while I’m still locked into trying to make the most sophisticated and high-end work, I’m also deeply concerned about how it actually speaks to people. Sometimes we get so caught up in the minutia of our process, of my process. And then, ultimately, nobody could give a crap about it.
I think that’s why the great art—particularly with photography—is where the literati, the knowing will look at it and go, “Wow, that’s really great.” But your average person on the street will look at it and go, “Wow, that’s really great.”
N/V: Do you think that’s part of the reason you chose this medium?
Kashi: Oh, I don’t know that it was that conscious. I wanted to be a storyteller, by the time I was a teenager. And what did that mean in my sort of naive and inexperienced mind? It was like, “I want to write books, I want to be a novelist.” [Laughs] You know, I had just discovered literature in high school, and had some great English teachers where we talked, and discussed, and dissected. And it helped me begin to develop a sort of comparative analytical mind, where you read something and it’s like, “Well, what did they really mean by that?” And then you go, “Wow, that’s so cool! That’s what I want to do; I want to write books; I’ll get to travel, I’ll get to meet people, I’ll get to tell stories.” And it wasn’t until I got to university that I realized, “I’m probably not a very good writer, and I actually have to make a living in four years.” [Laughs] And the sort of practical mind kicked in—well, that mixed in with the freshman poetry teacher that destroyed me with his criticism of my writing. [Laughs] But anyway, I don’t know why I just thought, “Well, what about photography?” And then, within just a few months, I was bitten, I was bitten by the bug.
N/V: What has multimedia added to your work?
Kashi: It’s a number of things: First of all, it’s a whole new source of inspiration. It’s a whole new avenue of self expression and storytelling, that in many ways, quite frankly, is more powerful. And I hate to say that because I come from the print world; and I’m not disowning it, running away from it. I think it’s still incredible, and it’s very important that we maintain… that we retain our ability—almost physical, physiological, mental ability—to imbibe print media, imbibe a still photograph. But, what multimedia allows me to do is—most importantly—give voice to my subjects. And actually, I feel like I achieve that even with my book on the Niger Delta: Curse of the Black Gold. But, with the multimedia piece, it’s not Ed Kashi telling you what’s going on in the Niger Delta. It’s my photographs that are a window into that world, that hopefully impacts you, but it’s the voices of Nigerians: a fisherman, a lawyer, a human rights activist telling you “this is what’s going on,” in our—in their—world. And I love that ability. And it’s something you could never really properly achieve… Well, I guess I shouldn’t say that. I was going to say you couldn’t achieve that in print, but that’s not true. I guess I need to be careful here because, a great writer, or a great photo essay with very strong captions and quotes from the people, would do the same thing. I guess the difference is, with multimedia it’s direct, it’s just direct. And it’s the idea that you actually hear their voice; you’re not reading their words. So you hear their inflection, you hear their emotion, you hear their anger, you hear their joy, you hear the ambient sound. And then also music; we can now deploy sound in a way that we never could.
N/V: You recently took part in the Vietnam Reporting Project in Da Nang, to help cover the very lasting environmental and health effects of Agent Orange, sprayed there by the U.S. over 30 years ago. What did the lasting consequences of that man-made disaster teach you, and what should it teach all of us?
Kashi: Well, when I was asked to do [it] my first reaction was, “Hmm. There’s nothing really new about Agent Orange. How are we going to get anybody interested?” But then my next reaction was, “Wow, I get to go to Vietnam, and I get to work on a subject that I grew up with, and around.” And like so many stories and issues that might not be new, but are not going away—so we need to keep the drumbeat of the story alive—I thought, “Well, this is definitely worth doing.”
And the pay was terrible for it, too, I might say. It was a very poorly funded project from my point of view. But often—well, often I’ve spent my own money to do things, so money is a fungible thing in this profession. If you only do things based on getting paid some bottom line, you’re probably not going to do very great work. Because it’s just the nature of the beast, it’s just the nature of the beast.
N/V: There must be a passion driving the projects you immerse yourself in—and I imagine this ultimately brings a sense of joy and achievement—but to what extent is your work driven by that, and to what extent is it driven by a sense of personal duty, or a feeling of responsibility to capture an image and a message?
Kashi: It’s both. Sometimes it’s neither, sometimes it’s only one; but when it’s going right it’s both. The doing is absolutely exhilarating and makes you feel alive. You know, often I say—because I’m classic manic-depressive—I’ll often say, “I shoot, therefore I am.” And that’s not a joke. It’s so true. I can be totally bummed out, or depressed, or whatever… disgruntled. And then, you give me a great day of making pictures and I’m like, “Who was that person?” I’m back in my groove. So, the doing of it—while sometimes it can be incredibly frustrating, very difficult, unsatisfying—is so rewarding, and fuels that passion.
But then also, what happens with the work afterward is equally important, and equally inspiring; and sometimes even more inspiring. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve done something… and I’m just engaged, so I don’t even know what I’m doing in a sense. And then I come back and we start to look at it, or it gets spit out into the world, and then the reaction comes in and [it's] amazing… So yeah, both parts of it are equally important, and inspiring, and fuel the drive.
N/V: Is there a sense of moral responsibility to, at times, step back, to not capture an image?
Kashi: Sure. In general, I’m very light and sensitive in the way I work. But even still there are times where I know I’m pushing things, or I’m possibly treading over a line, certainly culturally, and also sometimes in terms of security as well. But, it just is what I have to do sometimes. I don’t look to do it, but if every time someone said “no…” I would never get anywhere. Especially in today’s world. Because I feel like increasingly people say “no.” Like, “Why are you doing this? Who are you? What are you going to use it for? No.”
N/V: Have you ever felt in retrospect that—regardless of your original intentions—that you crossed the line in that regard?
Kashi: No, because once it’s done, it’s done. And I don’t mean that in a cold way. But it’s part of why you have to believe in what you do. Because if you believe in what you do, than you’re able to make those calculations where you say, “I just maybe inconvenienced that family, or I just embarrassed that Muslim girl because I photographed her. But I know that the way the picture will be used, or I know that the bigger purpose of why I’m doing it is either worth it—because of the importance, the potential impact—or because I know that after that moment passes, that ultimately there isn’t real lasting damage.” But I mean, who the fuck am I? Who the fuck am I? How do I know? I’m saying these things as Mr. Sensitive, and I still might be completely… I don’t know. It’s hard, man, it’s hard. I feel like—just harking back to what we were just saying—that people increasingly say no. And then, especially, I’ve worked so much in the Muslim world and encountered this kind of [resistance], that there are times where maybe I have lost sight of boundaries. Because I’m human, I’m human.
N/V: Do you go into a project trying to prove a particular point, or is the point to discover what that is?
Kashi: No, I go into a project with, let’s say, a thesis, or a storyline, but you have to remain open. Because, so often, reality presents you with something different. No matter how much research you’ve done, or how much reading you’ve done, or how much you’ve spoken to experts or talked to colleagues who were there, you always have to be prepared that things are going to change. And that what you’re going to actually be confronted with is a different story, or something slightly different. So again, open heart open mind.
And then, with the wars that are going on, it’s just so troubling because there’s no victory. We’re just… There’s no victory… There’s just no victory.
N/V: For better or for worse, what has your work taught you about humanity and the human condition?
Kashi: Ultimately, it’s made me feel despair about where we are going, and where we’re at. But, everyday there are glimpses of goodness, and of hope, that allow me to keep on going, and not be completely left in despair. But I’ll tell you, I just feel right now we’re going through a really bad time, and it’s really disturbing. And this mosque debate in New York is an example of it. There are so many things: the whole schism between Islam and the West—and somehow, America is representative of the West… So many things: the way we bring down everybody in our… Obama’s a great example. No matter what he does, he seems to be vilified and criticized. And obviously, I’m partisan because I totally support him and believe—nothing’s perfect—but I believe in what he’s trying to do. And yet, it’s incredible to me that we don’t let anyone catch a break. So, what happens is, we tear each other down. And so, I feel like we’re in this race to the bottom. At some point, if opposition means opposition no matter what, then this whole exercise becomes pointless.
And then, with the wars that are going on, it’s just so troubling because there’s no victory. We’re just… There’s no victory… There’s just no victory.
And the financial crisis that we’ve been left with, to me, is ultimately connected to much deeper dynamics around capitalism, and around the way we live. And again, my work has directly informed this feeling, and this opinion. There’s just so much to really feel disheartened by, and my work has really brought me face to face with it.
And even then, with aging. It’s something very personal, and very intimate and universal even; not related to politics or anything. I’ve spent so much time documenting the world of aging, and had it in my own house with my father in law; and so I’ve watched, and observed and documented what it means to deteriorate, to grow old, to lose your functions. And now, in my life, where I’m at, I’m now so much more sensitized to those things. And it can be—a downer. Because it’s not some abstract thing. I know what it looks like, I know what it smells like, I know what it feels like.
And so, I wouldn’t change anything, just to clarify. I’m proud and happy that I know these things. But it’s just sometimes… a bummer.
N/V: What do we, as people, need to do to solve some of the problems you’ve shown us?
Kashi: Well, if I just let it go I’d sound so naive. [Laughs] It’s the Rodney King thing: “Can’t we all just get along?” But that’s why what he said was so resonant, because it really was so simple; a simple truth. The simple truths are so hard because no one takes them seriously.
I guess I have to approach that on a number of levels…
Education is key. I just feel the level of misunderstanding in the world is so extreme, and it’s getting worse. That is troubling to me. So, we have to figure out how to turn that around. The fact that 20 percent, or some stupid percentage of Americans think that Obama is a Muslim? This holds us back. Even if he was, who cares? Or the fact that a huge percentage of the Muslim world thinks that 9/11 was perpetrated by the CIA, or Israel, or that no Jews died in 9/11? You know? I mean… I know two who did.
It’s like, when you’ve been in a relationship and you get to the point where it’s so bad that you can’t agree on anything; you can’t agree that the sky is blue. You’re screwed. So there’s that, on that human level. Education is so important.
And sustainability—which has become a very big theme and issue to me, in my work and in my personal life—having a visceral understanding of what that means and not feeling it’s acceptable anymore: the level of consumption versus what’s sustainable, and the disparity between us and so much of the world. And it’s not about, “Oh, I feel guilty.” No. Bullshit. It’s just more like, it’s not sustainable. Besides the fact that it’s morally reprehensible and economically unsustainable, and unfair and all these things, it just isn’t going to last long. I’ll probably last through my lifetime. I’ll go relatively unscathed—although, the truth is I’m already scathed by it, because look what’s happening in the financial system. And it’s affecting my profession tremendously, profoundly.
I always say that being a progressive doesn’t mean you’re on the left, it means you want to make the world a better place.
And tribalism, this tribalism. Thankfully in America, we skirt because of this incredible system that was developed, and that has been maintained. What kills me is that there’s people in our country now politically that would destroy it, or that are willing to erode it. Again, this is not about liberal/conservative or democrat/republican, this is just about… I always say that being a progressive doesn’t mean you’re on the left, it means you want to make the world a better place. It means you want to actually be smart! You want to be aware! You want to understand! And you want to take that knowledge, and you want to figure out how to make the world a better place! Now, you might do that by “conservative fiscal policy;” you might do that by “liberal social policy;” you might do that by… Who cares! Who cares? What is important is that we move forward.
Maybe this instinct in me is more highly evolved—not compared to anyone else, but within myself—because I’m a parent. So, I care about the world being a better place. I actually have some stake in it. It’s not just about me. Like I said, at this point, I can live 30 or 40 more years and still be in decent shape probably. But I want to think beyond that.
So for me, it’s this idea of how do we break this ridiculous political logjam that we’re in; where we can’t move forward together, and that forces this partisan behavior; which ultimately is either destructive or less effective than it could be. While we’re politically deadlocked and pushing ourselves down, a lot of the world is taking off. And we don’t have a lot of the problems that a lot of… like China and India are saddled with huge demographic problems, huge poverty and environmental degradation—that we don’t have. We have a little, we have some of it of course; but so, I just always feel like people want to cut taxes, people want a smaller government and all that… And I’m like, “Go to Nigeria. Live in Nigeria for a year. Go to Pakistan.” Go to a place—and this is nothing against those places, or the people—but go to a place where the political system is so poorly evolved; and so rife with corruption, and tribalism, and ethnic division, and lack of trust—let alone the violence, the political violence that they suffer almost on a daily basis. And it’s like, “That’s what you want?”
I always use the analogy, when I teach or lecture, of 911. Because it’s something that really is, to me, a very meaningful and simple way of looking at it. The fact that you can be—not anywhere in America, but probably more than 90 percent of this land mass—and you can dial these three numbers, and in a relatively short amount of time someone’s going to come and rescue your ass. [Laughs] That’s taxes, baby!
Project Notes by Ed Kashi:
Photo Essay—Kurds in Iraq:
This project stemmed out of a nearly two decade involvement with the Kurdish cause. I started working with the Kurds in 1991 and they continue to fascinate me and their story has increasingly become a part of our foreign affairs. In 2005 I decided it would be a good time to look at that part of Iraq in the context of the war, as it was the only part of the country that was progressing and relatively peaceful. With all my work it’s about showing people stories I feel they need to know about.
View project at edkashi.com.
Photo Essay—Us Against Them:
This was in reaction to the tribalism I continue to witness around the world and increasingly in the United States. It’s troubling, as it tears against the fabric of civil society and keeps everyone held back from progressing in life. I assembled this essay on a whim really, after noticing the linkages in my work.
View project at edkashi.com.
Book—Aging in America: The Years Ahead:
This short multimedia piece will tell you a lot about why I did this project, what I learned and what I hoped to achieve.
View project at edkashi.com.
Photo Essay—Madagascar, Prix Pictet Commission 2010:
The Forgotten Land: Madagascar Out Of Balance
By Ed Kashi and Samm Short of Azafady
My work has led me to many places on this earth and it’s critically clear our world is under tremendous stress. The relationship we hold as human beings with the earth, and the issues that are raised with regard to how we go about conducting this vital relationship, have developed into core themes within my work. With a growing inequality in living standards that sees the wealthy flippant in their excess, the voices of those without are growing in number, clambering to be heard as the precious resources upon which their existence depends are depleted beyond repair at an alarming rate that cannot and will not be sustained. Nowhere are the effects of this dysfunctional relationship more evident than in Madagascar. This project is in direct response to the global cry to stop and take responsibility, seen through the dignified and vibrant people of south east Madagascar, in a cross-examination of the intricate ties that bind them to the earth.
It was my work on the Niger Delta that won me the Prix Pictet Commission, in a very different exploration of the violence in Man and Earth’s ongoing battle over oil. This could not be in more striking contrast to the quiet struggle for survival I came to witness in the makings of this project, a lack of noise that has allowed the world to forget this beautiful and incredibly fragile island. Up until now.
For the Malagasy, everything that is needed to sustain human life comes directly from the earth. It is their food, their shelter, and more often than not their only source of income. And holding it all together in precarious balance, is an astoundingly depleted forest system. Systematically plundered over the years by both external forces and the attempts of the island’s inhabitants to sustain their way of life, Madagascar’s forests now total less than 10% of their original status, existing in small, scattered fragments that are home to hundreds of endemic species, many of which are yet to be named or even discovered. It is these forest fragments that provide a livelihood to more than 70% of the island’s population, and despite recent conservation laws established to protect the forests, the people of Madagascar, caught in a cycle of grinding poverty that eradicates the luxury of free will, continue to risk fines and imprisonment in pursuit of their forest-based survival.
Recently, though, the situation has become critical. Another year of insufficient rain means crops are failing across the south east. In search of fertile land, farmers engage in the illegal practice of slash and burn agriculture, or tavy, in which entire forest fragments are razed to the ground in return for one year’s good soil fertility. At the end of the year when the soil is unusable, the farmers move on to the next patch of forest and repeat the cycle, sowing the seeds of desertification that sees sand dunes encroaching on previously arable land, oceans receding, and the enforced migration of communities into already overcrowded towns. Never has the cycle of poverty and resource depletion been seen more clearly than in the farmers I met walking down a dry river bed towards the ocean, who, no longer having any farmable land, were on their way to join the other newly conscripted farmers -turned –fishermen, too great in number to operate in balance with the ocean’s limited supply, in catching pregnant lobsters that would have the telling evidence of their eggs removed in order to be sold guilt-free on international markets. First the earth, then the sea – the people of Madagascar are running out of options.
Within Fort Dauphin, the urban center of the south east, the population has exploded as a result of this devastating process of enforced urbanization, and the infrastructure required to support it simply does not exist. The operations of the mining giant Rio Tinto have spread to this beautiful town, luring unemployed people with the hope of better things to come. Sadly, with the initial phase of the mine’s construction now over, the reality is that the jobs associated with the mine are not accessible to the majority of the Malagasy, and the only infrastructure visibly to have benefited from their presence is the section of roads leading directly to the mine and campsite; an eerie replication of Western suburbia inhabited by a floating population of ex-pats and migrant workers.
Isolated as it is from the country’s capital, it is not so much lack of political will, as lack of political capacity that is strangling the south east, and with the current fears over political stability meaning the majority of international support has long since been removed, the survival of the people of Madagascar rests more than ever on the work of charities like Azafady. Azafady are a small grass-roots NGO, who for the last 10 years have worked alongside the people of south east Madagascar in helping some of the poorest and most vulnerable communities to lift themselves out of poverty sustainably, whilst protecting the environment around them from further harm. As designated ambassadors for my project, the relationships they have built with local communities proved invaluable in allowing me access to scenes I would never have otherwise come to witness, or understand.
My work has always been predicated on preserving the dignity of my subjects, something the Malagasy have in abundance, and I found in Azafady an approach that very much mirrored my own. Within this selection of photographs you will see not only the problems that Madagascar faces, but the holistic and sensitive solutions that are being offered in response by agents like Azafady. No longer in photo journalism is it sufficient to document only the challenges, rather we need to empower each other through examples such as these to show just how great the power of collective action can be, and answer the global cry to stop and take responsibility. My heart felt thanks goes out to Prix Pictet, Azafady, and the people of Madagascar for giving me the opportunity to do just that. May it also empower you to do the same.
View project at edkashi.com.
Book—Curse of the Black Gold: 50 Years of Oil in the Niger Delta:
Shadows and Light in the Niger Delta
It was Iraq that lead me to the Niger Delta. Actually, it was my work in Iraq that brought me to the attention of Michael Watts, a Berkeley-based scholar who has studied on issues of oil and conflict, especially in regards to the Niger Delta, for over thirty years. Through his guidance and generosity, he revealed this incredible story to me. After my first trip in July of 2004 with Michael, my eyes and heart were opened up, and my anger and disgust at the situation were set on fire. I became obsessed with the notion of trying to tell this very difficult but profoundly important geopolitical story in a visual way.
The Delta is where all Nigeria’s plagues of political gangsterism, corruption and poverty seem to converge. It is this observation that makes reporting from here so critical. I returned on my own in late 2005 to continue the project and faced severe restrictions and frustrations. There were moments in Port Harcourt, lying in a dark, hot, mosquito infested room, wondering if I could continue there. It took all my willpower and strength to forge ahead—to see beyond my own weaknesses to overcome the seemingly insuperable obstacles that challenged me at every turn. I had no choice but to continue this project.
In 2006 I returned with a commission from the National Geographic magazine. With this new level of support I was able to make breakthroughs to areas and subjects that had been virtually impossible before.
During the course of this project one of the most important subjects I needed to capture in images was MEND, The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta. They are an armed and formidable militant group based in the cities and creeks of the Niger Delta, particularly in the western region of the delta in and around Warri (the so-called‚ Warri axis’). They are responsible for ‚shutting-in’ forty per cent (as I write roughly 900,000 barrels per day) of Nigeria’s oil industry through direct attacks on facilities, the taking of hostages and generally creating an inhospitable and unsafe environment for the oil industry.
To get access to this group it was necessary to communicate with a shadowy figure named Jomo Gbomo. I never knew if this was his real name, whether he was someone in my midst or if he might be based in Oxford, England or on another continent. Our only link was an email address. There were rumors he was a South African arms dealer, but nobody knew for sure. Whoever he was, Jomo was media-savvy and wrote with a flair and elan that was reminiscent of Subcommandante Marcos.
The emails ranged from personal, direct conversations to general communiques to his journalist list about activities of the group. Generally his pronouncements presaged what I would read later in the media or they were responses to developments on the ground, such as attacks on oil facilities or hostage takings. At times it was hilarious – always surreal – but in the end quite serious and potentially dangerous. Amidst the theatre and drama of masked militants lay an insurgency in which, as Jomo himself put it, ‚angry and bitter men’ were engaged in a ferocious struggle with the Nigerian state.I reached a point with Jomo where we were communicating nearly everyday and I looked forward to his daily urgings, instructions or vows to keep me safe. Even though I accomplished my goal of access to MEND, it wasn’t through Jomo but instead through other contacts. At least that is what I thought but in reality I’ll never know. In the end, my perceived intimacy and trust might have been nothing more than another shadow in an enigmatic place that an outsider can never fully understand or trust.
What follows are excerpts of the emails we exchanged over a two month period in the summer of 2006 from this ongoing online conversation that, in the end, lead me to important reporting, exclusive access to a very hard part of this project and powerful images. I never met Jomo Gbomo. At least, I don’t think so.
… From: Ed Kashi
Date: May 24, 2006 1:03:22 AM EDT
To: Jomo Gbomo
Subject: Re: National Geographic PhotographerDear Jomo,
I am a photojournalist working with the National Geographic magazine on a story about the Niger Delta. I have already been there two previous times to develop a project that is looking at the effects of nearly 50 years of oil on the communities, people and environment in the Delta. I understand you can help me get close to MEND, which I see as a vitally important part of this story. I will be coming to Port Harcourt in a few days and would appreciate any help you could give me to accomplish this task.
Best,
Ed Kashi
… From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: May 25, 2006 8:03:22 AM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: National Geographic PhotographerThanks ed, we are always eager to get our story out. We had earlier resolved not to have any contacts with the media except by way of this email address. Perhaps that will be reconsidered. I will think about this and get back to you as soon as i can. Im a great fan of the national geographic.
…From: Ed Kashi
Date: May 31, 2006 5:59:29 AM EDT
To: Jomo Gbomo
Subject: Re: National Geographic PhotographerDear Jomo,
I am now in Port Harcourt and have begun my work for the National Geographic. I am leaving for Warri this afternoon to work in that area and the creeks. If we could meet that would be great. I am hoping you can help me.
Thanks
Ed
… From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: June 1, 2006 2:20:21 PM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: National Geographic PhotographerHi ed, sorry i will be unable to meet with you. If i can be of help to you, i sure will. It may not be posible however for you to meet with us at this point in time.
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: June 3, 2006 1:07:27 PM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: National Geographic PhotographerHi ed, promise i’l try my best to accommodate you. As i said, im a faithful follower of the national geographic
ed kashi wrote:
Dear Jomo,I understand the sensitivities of your work and how my needs might not be easy for you to fulfill. I am now in Warri and plan to head out into the creeks later today until Sunday night. I am in the delta until June 24 and except for June 12-15, I am available for you at any time. I appreciate your help and keeping in touch with me.
Good luck and all the best, Ed
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: July 1, 2006 11:19:04 AM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: Unrest in the niger delta.Hi ed, i read about your experience. The international media shares your views. The nigerian government and its security apparatus is brutal. Extra-judical killings is usual in nigeria but this time, people who have fought with us were victims. I promise you we will repay this debt ten fold. When you come in august, you will meet me and all my senior commanders. However i will not grant any interviews nor allow myself to be photographed. You may be allowed to speak with and film any of my commanders who may be willing to speak with you. We will give you a comprehensive tour of the delta as you have not seen it. This is a promise, God willing.
Ed Kashi wrote:
Dear Jomo,I am troubled to hear this news. I have returned home to America after a harrowing experience at the hands of the Nigerian Navy in Nembe. I don’t know if you read or heard about this. They didn’t mistreat me. Your comrades were not as fortunate. They continually told me that they were detaining me for my own good from the “militants”. I couldn’t tell them how I really felt, which is that they are the ones I fear.
I am planning to return to the delta for August to finish my project for National Geographic. I appreciate any cooperation you can offer at that time.
Ed
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: July 24, 2006 12:28:45 PM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: return datesHi ed, this return date ensures you will be on time for the next wave of our attacks. This will be unrelenting and more punishing on the oil industry. You will be taken as far as you wish. We are capable of taking you through the states of the delta, meeting with our units scattered across the niger delta. You will be shown through villages that the nigerian government will not wish you to see as well as locations the nigerian military will not venture near. The choice remains yours. Decide how far you are willing or able to go. You will meet me but i dont know how much good that will be as i will not be granting any recorded interviews. As promised however, you may be permited to speak with any of my ground commanders who consents to an interview. See you this way
…From: Ed Kashi
Date: July 24, 2006 12:35:56 PM EDT
To: Jomo Gbomo
Cc: tom o’neill
Subject: Re: return datesDear Jomo,
if it is not necessary to meet with you, then better to keep the security situation less stressful for both of us. Just let me know where I need to go and who I must contact and how. The writer, Tom O’Neill, will be accompanying me on this trip and he will need to do interviews with your commanders. Tom and I should plan a visit together so we can maximize our coverage in interviews and pictures. In terms of how far I am willing to go, my main concern is putting myself in a situation where I am with your men and we encounter Nigerian security forces. I can determine this as plans move closer to fruition.
I look forward to your next instructions. thanks, Ed
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: July 24, 2006 1:22:06 PM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: return datesHi, your safety is of great concern to us otherwise, how would our story get out? you will meet me cos i will be there and just that. I do not give recorded interviews but can attend to questions you or tom o’neil may have. The commanders can be filmed and interviewed. You are welcome to spend a day or two in any of our camps.When we take you through the creeks, we will ensure that you meet no security operatives and will always be taken in a clearly civilian boat, a good distance from our fighters. Like i said the choice remains yours. Be certain you will get all you ask for on this trip
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: July 24, 2006 1:43:27 PM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: return datesyoure welcome. we look forward to opportunities such as this to tell our tale and like i said, ive always loved the national geographic
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: August 9, 2006 2:31:34 PM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: we’re hereHi ed, as i promised, the choice is yours. I will expose you to two of our camps in rivers state and perhaps two more in delta state. If you wish, we can take you on a tour of the delta from rivers state to delta state. I will meet with you as well as permit you to speak with our commanders. You will see the camps as they are with whatever types of arns are in the vicinity at the time of your visit. We wont like take you into any arms storage places or permit a close up veiwing of our weapons such as scrutinizing for serial numbers etc. When you have decided on how far you are willing to go, let me know. I will rather fix this meeting for any time from the 20th of august. We will take you to villages, to meet with chiefs and elders, ogoni youths etc. I promised to give you a tour like you are unlikely to ever get. Im prepared to fulfil this promise. Tell me what you want.
Ed Kashi wrote:
Jomo,I and my writer, Tom O’Neill, are now in Port Harcourt. We will be here working on the story for National Geographic until Sept. 3rd. Except for the days of Aug. 16-19, we are available to work with you and your people. We are very interested in seeing whatever you are willing to show us for photos, including camps, your commanders and armed fighters. Tom also wants to talk to your members as well. I look forward to hearing from you either via my cell number below or this email.
Thanks,
Ed
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: August 9, 2006 3:04:52 PM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: we’re hereSorry bout that ed, networks really poor where im at. August 21 is fine by me. You will start in rivers state and end up in delta. I will make contacts to ensure you meet people of relevance. By that i mean mostly the youth groups in rivers, bayelsa and delta states. Its up to you if you wish to go through the creeks to bayelsa and delta or if you want us to meet up with you in these states. A trip through the creeks will be quite an unforgetable experience. Let me state hereagain that you safety is of paramount concern to me and no one will do anything to jeopadize that. We will take you through the creeks mostly with special civilian boats that can be hired regularly. If you are going through the creeks however and you wish, i can detail a number of our fighters who will be quite carefully concealed to escort you. Do not be of the misconception that the creeks are swarming with nigerian security patrols. Its very far from that as you will find out. that story is meant for foreign governments to assume the safety of their citizens is gauranteed by the nigerian government. Look forward to meeting with you and tom as well. keep safe
Ed Kashi wrote:
Dear Jomo,We got cut off but to restate…how about starting on Aug 21? We would like the grand tour and try to do as much as possible with what you’ve suggested below. Just let us know where and when to meet you.
Thanks and be well,
Ed
…From: Ed Kashi
Date: August 9, 2006 3:12:29 PM EDT
To: Jomo Gbomo
Subject: making plansJomo,
that sounds fine. I would think we want the full tour on the creeks. Just let us know how much time you expect we’ll be out so we come prepared. Thank you and I look forward to hearing more and meeting you. Best, Ed
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: August 9, 2006 3:19:10 PM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: we’re hereYou will shortly recieve a call from the ogoni youth leader whom my ground commander in port harcourt has just spoken with. He will arrange for you to be conducted around places the government will not want you to go and see people they will not wish you to see either. Ogoniland has fighters with us for your information.Feel free to make whatever requests you have of them during your tour. If its beyond them, i will be contacted.
…From: Ed Kashi
Date: August 9, 2006 4:34:50 PM EDT
To: Jomo Gbomo
Subject: Re: making plansthanks…I’ve already received a call from the Ogoni Youth President and we are going out with him tomorrow. Thank you, Ed
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: August 9, 2006 5:04:48 PM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: making plansAnytime bro
…From: Ed Kashi
Date: August 13, 2006 7:05:42 PM EDT
To: Jomo Gbomo
Subject: Re: unrest in the niger deltaJomo,
we are all quite shaken by the fierce gun battles that just took place right outside of our compound. We thought they were coming for us, but thank goodness we are fine. I can see things have heated up and Tom and I must be very careful and stay in at night.
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: August 13, 2006 7:26:16 PM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: unrest in theniger deltaI was informed so. No one can take you guys anyway, Be sure about that. Im more worried about you been hit by a stray bullet or something. They came for the other white guys. If by any chance you are taken be sure to tell anyone you are here at our instance. You will be released immediately or else………………? Always give me notice of your movement and sign in each night for your safety. I want to be able to act in good time if the unexpected occurs
…From: Ed Kashi
Date: August 13, 2006 7:38:18 PM EDT
To: Jomo Gbomo
Subject: Re: unrest in the niger deltaI’ll try to do my best to check in. I really appreciate this. Thanks man. I keep a copy of my passport and assignment letter from NG, so hopefully if anything happens it can be sorted out…but I hope it won’t get that far. The stray bullets are definitely not appealing!
Good night…best, Ed
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: August 13, 2006 8:00:37 PM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: unrest in the niger deltaGood night and keep safe
…From: Ed Kashi
Date: August 14, 2006 2:03:34 PM EDT
To: Jomo Gbomo
Subject: I need your help pleaseDear Jomo,
we have been turned down by Shell for tomorrow and Thursday due to increased hostage taking, so we are trying to organize a plan of action for our work tomorrow (Tuesday) and Thursday. I have spoken with Marvin Yobana and he sounds a bit skeptical but he told me that a leaking well that he showed us last week has exploded and is on fire. This is exactly what we need for our work. I have asked him to take us and if he is not available we have our own transportation and guide to go with. But we don’t want to cause any problems or get into trouble. I have worked here enough to know you don’t venture into places without proper representation. Anyway, please sir contact Marvin to ask him to help us. We need to shove off as early as possible to document this fire and environmental disaster.
Thanks, Ed
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: August 14, 2006 2:15:41 PM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: I need your help pleaseI will instruct that. Expect a call.
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: August 21, 2006 7:21:08 AM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: ready and waiting…Hi ed, im sorry i may not be able to arrange the trip for you today or in the early future. The earliest time i anticipate may be the end of this month. In trying to effect the release of all hostages in the delta, we sent out 14 of our fighters to a community in bayelsa holding a shell worker. They effected his release and on the way back to the camp, were ambushed by aobut 100 nigerian army soldiers in 10 gunboats. We lost 10 of our fighters in this attack and are in moourning. This is a big blow to us as the attack was unprovoked and without warning. We are meeting over this and other issues so it will be impossible at this point to do anything else. Hope you understand. Yours truly
…From: Ed Kashi
Date: August 21, 2006 7:36:48 AM EDT
To: Jomo Gbomo
Subject: tragic newsDear Jomo,
I’m very sorry to hear this news and we completely understand your situation. If there is any way for us to cover the aftermath of this attack, we are interested. Otherwise, we will regroup and work on other subjects until we hear from you again. We are available until Sept 2nd…anytime, anywhere. But if there is any way to get to you and cover what has happened to your fighters, please let us know.
stay safe and accept our sympathies…Ed
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: August 21, 2006 7:50:54 AM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: tragic newsThanks ed. I may arrange for you to cover the burials, aftermath and our response which will come very soon
…From: Ed Kashi
Date: August 22, 2006 3:44:33 AM EDT
To: Jomo Gbomo
Subject: any way to do somethingJomo,
we know these are extraordinary days for you, but if there is any way to even spend a day or two this week to interview, witness and document things, please let us know. We are desperate to make contact as our time here is winding down and we’re fearful that we’ll miss any opportunities to chronicle your organization and men in our story. This would be a shame and a huge omission to our story on the Delta.
Thanks,
Ed
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: August 23, 2006 9:47:20 AM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: any way to do somethingHi ed, sorry ive been out of circulation. Will get back to you later today. I understand your fears and will see what i can do about it
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: August 23, 2006 6:38:27 PM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: any way to do somethingOk ed. Will get back to you later in the morning. You see most of our fighters are regular guys working on rigs, in universities etc. They walk around towns and cities freely and all of this could be jeopardized very easily by exposure. Its not too comfortable conducting a funeral whicn will involve lots of traditional dancing in balaclavars. We will consider this and reach you as early as posible morow.
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: August 26, 2006 5:21:11 PM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: going to warriOk. Sorry ive not been able to fulfil my part of the bargain. What do you want? I can arrange for you to meet anyone you want to meet there. The fighters will not be buried until we have the bodies still being held by the nigerian military. Then we will decide what to do. there have been promises of release.
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: August 28, 2006 8:22:00 AM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: going to warriHi ed, please let me know when you get into warri I have arranged for you to speak with tompolo, the most superior ground commander in the western delta. Im afraid for now, that is the closest you will get to me. He will allow you free access and answer for questions as best he can.He is not well schooled by a very intelligent and forthright person. I have never allowed this sort of contact in the past and this is like a compensation for not keeping to my promise made before you left from nigeria, You may discuss the issue of the burials and feel free to ask whatever you feel will be of value to you. If they are not sure, i will be contacted for clarification. There will be no further hostage taking for ransome. I have instructed that across the entire niger delta. Please abide by whatever rules you are subjected to when you arrive at the first camp, respecting the wishes of those who may not wish to be captured on film. They have all been instructed to be as cooperative as posible and will more or less act to your script. You will be contacted on your cell phone. I learnt your phone has been switched off for sometime now.
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: August 28, 2006 11:35:19 AM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: going to warriAs i told you, feel free with him and explain exactly what you want. He is under my instruction to give you as much leeway as posible. Tell him i said you must be given access to all the camps. No one knows me as jomo. they know who sent you there and you may try but i doubt if anyone will speak to you about me. You may try if you wish though. In addition, there are many very bad communities in delta state you may wish to visit
Ed Kashi wrote:
Now that there is a plan for tomorrow, our goals for tomorrow are to interview Tompolo and some of his commanders (if photos of any of them are possible that would be good too), we want to photograph any aspects of the camp that you will allow. Basically, we will interview and photograph anything that you make available to us tomorrow.
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: August 28, 2006 2:20:08 PM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: going to warriVery well They will take you anywhere you wish to and allow you access to most things. it is important to us the world understands the galvanizing factor beneath our struggle. We have been called all kinds of names in the american media by those who have not bothered to be as thorough as you have chosen to be. Some like to la times which may have sent someone to abuja concluded in their april 30, 2006 editorial that we are thugs whose methods are reprehensible. It is assumed that our motivation is derived from a desire to steal little amounts of crude oil from pipelines. What we are fighting for aside from what we term to be a liberation of the niger delta peoples from 50 years of political and economic slavery, is that the truth be heard everywhere about our fight for the freedom of the peoples of the niger delta who have cried out in vain for help. The truth as we all know is unambiguos and no matter how well camoflaged, will not remain hidden forever. We hope the truth no matter how you have seen it, will come to light and not our side of the story. We have nothing to say to anyone, go around as freely as you wish and decide if we have reason to fight.
Ed Kashi wrote:
Jomo,we are keenly interested in visiting these undeveloped and poor communities, as well as any recent spill sites…thanks
…From: Jomo Gbomo
Date: August 29, 2006 4:14:15 AM EDT
To: Ed Kashi
Subject: Re: going to warriHi ed, i thought when i communicated with you it, was going to be in strict confidence Why did you show my email around to people who can do nothing for you. i am greatly offended by this and very reluctant to continue with this thing. The news around is that you are unreliable and cannot gaurantee the safety and confidentiallity of infornation you gather. Tompolo heard about your showing off my mail and will not see you out of fear for his safety. I understand and will not push it.
…From: Ed Kashi
Date: August 29, 2006 4:56:16 AM EDT
To: Jomo Gbomo
Subject: Re: going to warriI”m not sure what I did wrong, but I’m very sorry. I shared your email only with my colleague Tom and my fixer. I have not shown it to anybody else. If I have screwed up, then it is only my fault, but I bear no harm towards you or your organization.
Please let me know if there is something I can do to rectify this situation.
…From: Ed Kashi
Date: August 29, 2006 4:59:36 AM EDT
To: Jomo Gbomo
Subject: Re: going to warriI don’t know what I’ve done wrong to break your trust and as always will abide by your instructions, but I must emphasize that I am true to my word and have only shared with people who I trust or am working with.
… From: Ed Kashi
Date: August 29, 2006 5:37:41 AM EDT
To: Jomo Gbomo
Subject: Re: going to warriI never showed your email to anyone at the Wellington and I’m not even staying there. We were there last night with people I was led to believe are part of your organization. I did not even speak of any emails. Yesterday afternoon, in my hotel room at the Broadwell, which is where I’m staying, I showed your email to Tom, my fixer and our local guide who has been taking us about around Warri and the creeks around Warri. That is it.
This is absolutely a terrible situation I find myself in now. But you must believe me that I have not shared your information indiscriminately nor would I ever And I only shared the one email yesterday. So please don’t accuse me of things I have not done. I realize you must do what you must do, and I might have forfeited my opportunity to get a deeper story. That would be a shame and as I write this I”m lamenting my apparent inability to steer these confusing waters. But I mean no harm to anyone here.
I shared your last email with my colleagues in respect to the dangerous situation in the delta here. I feel like I”ve failed you and my work. I hope this situation can be rectified. I have only come here to tell this important story.
On Aug 29, 2006, at 10:06 AM, Jomo Gbomo wrote:
Theres not a problem. Only thing is tompolo is afraid to speak with you. Says you may promise to hide his identity and show like you have shown my mail. I heard you displayed it at wellington hotel in warri and really think besides your colleague, you had no business showing my mail to anyone else. I have asked them to go around with you but cannot gaurantee you speaking with anyone of relevance anymore The news has gone round and everyone is scared to speak with you even in balaclavas and like i told you, i cannot force anyone to do otherwise.
…From: Ed Kashi
Date: August 29, 2006 6:05:53 AM EDT
To: Jomo Gbomo
Subject: Re: going to warriI hope this person comes as you say and we can try to move forward in our work, with whatever restrictions must be. Any conversations we have will be along the rules the people we are with dictate. We just want to tell a great story and explain what is going on here to the world. I have also learned an important lesson. I will not show my emails to anyone else but Tom. That is a promise.
We are waiting and still hopeful. Again, I apologize for this misunderstanding and appreciate and respect your willingness to engage with me. I am leaving my email for now to wait in the lobby of the Broadwell…my phone is open.
On Aug 29, 2006, at 10:56 AM, Jomo Gbomo wrote:
I understand ed . let me see what i can do but as i mentioned, i cannot force people to speakwith you against their will. You really shouldnt have shown the mail to anyone other than tom. Problem is even if you get to speak with anyone, they may be more gaurded in their conversation with you.Someone will be there to see you just now and we will take it from there
In the end nobody showed up. I made my way to the funerals and creeks where MEND was through my own contacts. But I’ll never know how much was triangulated behind my back. As always, the real decisions took places in the shadows, out of my sight.
What is taking place in the Niger Delta at this time is nothing short of a military struggle against state security forces that have an awful reputation and a violent state machinery. Secrecy – and publicity about there cause – is something that has to be balanced. And that is part of the shadows, similar to what is happening in Iraq. At the same time, there is something different about the violence of Delta: this violent struggle is a backlash to a long history of exploitation, the presence of transnational corporations, the style of doing politics, where often violence is encouraged and supported by politicians, and then the sheer welter of groups, gangs, cults without a leadership as such.
The Niger Delta is one of the most difficult place I’ve ever worked in. The people are hesitant and suspicious of outsiders, the terrain is tricky with out of the way places only reachable by small boats, and along every road and waterway danger lurks for the intruder. It was in June of 2006 that I experienced by greatest nightmare, when I was arrested illegally by the Nigerian military. I was attempting to photograph flow stations in the creeks of Nembe. The local boatmen we hired lied to us about the presence of military so they could get some extra cash. We knew if there was military present at the installations, we couldn’t photograph. We relied on faulty information and paid the price. My fixer and I were detained for four harrowing days, our possessions and equipment were confiscated, we were locked in a room and were never told our fate. In the end we were released because of the great work of Nigerian friends, human rights workers, the media, the National Geographic and my wife. Most people are not as fortunate and would have endured a much longer, painful incarceration. This event left me empowered and even more determined to pursue my goal of creating a visual body of work to tell the untold story of the Niger Delta.
One must always remain open in their hearts and minds to make the most out of life. This is what makes life worth living and allows one the opportunity to witness the unimaginable. It was from my chance encounter with Michael that I was given the opportunity to work in the Niger Delta to attempt to shed some light into its world of shadows. For this I will be forever grateful.
Ed Kashi
New York/August 2007
Acknowledgments: I must thank, foremost, the people of the Niger Delta for allowing me to work and live among them. That includes the NGO workers, human rights workers, local journalists, lawyers and volunteers who have dedicated their lives to improving the situation in the Delta. Without them this work would have not been possible. I cannot name them due to the continued concern for their safety.
View project at edkashi.com.
Book—THREE:
THREE is my latest book and based on a series of triptychs that were conjured out of nearly 20 years of my photography. It was an attempt to recontextualize my photographs by decontextualizing them out of the normal modes they are seen and interpreted, thus creating a new visual language around my work. At this point in my life I have a large body of work and finding new connections and correlations is absolutely thrilling.
View project at edkashi.com.
Simply amazing… I only dream to gain as much experience as that. Dedication and perserverance proves true greatness.
Thanks for the comment. I’m glad you got something good from the interview. Thanks for reading. Brian