The Aftermath Project

While attending the Lucie Awards on Monday evening supporting my friend Jeff Liao's nomination in the publishing category, I first learned of The Aftermath Project. Sara Terry, the project's founder, was presented with an honorary Lucie Award for humanitarian work. The foundation's mission is:

"The Aftermath Project is a non-profit organization committed to telling the
other half of the story of conflict — the story of what it takes for individuals to
learn to live again, to rebuild destroyed lives and homes, to restore civil societies,
to address the lingering wounds of war while struggling to create new avenues for peace.

The Aftermath Project holds a yearly grant competition open to working
photographers worldwide covering the aftermath of conflict. In addition,
through partnerships with universities, photography institutions and non-profit
organizations, the Project seeks to help broaden the public’s understanding of the
true cost of war— and the real price of peace — through international traveling
exhibitions and educational outreach in communities and schools. An annual
publication co-published with Aperture and Mets & Schilt is distributed world wide."

Her mission really moved me and I really believe there is a need to document post-conflict struggles that often don't make it to mainstream media.

Other highlights of the evening include the presentation of an honorary portraiture achievement award to Herman Leonard by none other that Tony Bennett!

While we're on the subject of books.

One of my favorite photography books (and a recent indulgent purchase) is Habitat 7 by my good friend Jeff Chien-Hsing Liao. We studied together at SVA, and I saw him working on these images from the very beginning of the project. Needless to say, these images have a very special meaning to me as I've seen his development from a grad student, to winning the NY Times' 'Capture The Times' photo competition in 2005, to being represented by Julie Saul, to having a solo show at the Queen's Museum, to having a book published by one of the finest photography book publishers in the world, Nazreli Press. The images are truly breathtaking.


To me, Jeff's photography is an exercise in patience and a dedication to perfection. The Strand describes his process concisely: "The IRT "7" subway/rail line is one of the major arteries between Queens and Manhattan. Jeff Liao lives along its route, taking the train every day. In this, his first monograph, Liao presents images selected from his walks along the line's entire length where there was evidence of the "7," even if there was no train in sight. Eschewing the use of a panoramic camera, Liao, instead, makes several 8x10 negatives of the same scene and combines them digitally, taking up to 60 hours to complete one composition."

His photography is truly a genuine experience and I encourage everyone to explore his work.