NEWS

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By RANDI DAVENPORT
Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence

CHAPEL HILL -- Ray Buchanan has long photographed the places he visits as director of Stop Hunger Now, a Raleigh-based relief agency. But it was not until the aftermath of 9-11, while working to provide aid in remote villages in northern Afghanistan, that he began creating a photographic record of that nation.

The photographs became Buchanan's one-man show, "The Faces of Afghanistan," which will be on display at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from Oct. 1 - 31. An opening reception, including a talk by Buchanan will be held Oct. 2 from 3 p.m. to 5 pm. The exhibit and reception, both free and open to the public, will be at the James M. Johnston Center for Undergraduate Excellence in Graham Memorial, located next to the Morehead Planetarium.

The exhibit will also feature examples of traditional Afghan dress, maps providing information about the region, and a related lecture. Bobbi Owen, professor of dramatic arts at UNC, will present a public lecture, "The Burka and Beyond: Traditional Afghan Dress," Oct. 8 at 4 p.m. in the Johnston Center's Kresge Commons Room.

Buchanan's photographs were taken in and around the Chah Ab region of northern Afghanistan in October 2001 and February 2002. Exclusively portraits, the photographs feature a rare glimpse of traditional Afghanistan culture among villages that have not been controlled by the Taliban. The exhibit also reflects the extent to which hunger has become a part of that culture. Included are images of people in the camps established for internally displaced Afghans, as well as portraits of food vendors in isolated marketplaces, food foragers and people from across the generations. Several photographs in the exhibit were taken by a woman relief worker, who gained access to spaces that men are not permitted to enter and photograph women.

Buchanan received assistance in creating the exhibit from John Coffey, deputy director of collections and chief curator of the North Carolina Museum of Art, and teacher Susan Ferri.

"My hope is that people in the Triangle get to see a different side of Afghanistan," said Buchanan. "You can see an incredible amount of strength in these faces."

The exhibit may be viewed during regular building hours (Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. – 11 p.m., Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.) when the room is not in use by other groups. Visitors should check the Johnston Center Web site for current exhibit hours, which will change weekly: www.unc.edu/depts/jcue. For more information, call 966-5110.

The photographs in this exhibit are owned by Stop Hunger Now; additional items related to traditional culture on display are from the private collections of Americans for Permanent Peace in Afghanistan.

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http://www.unc.edu/news/pics/visiting/afgfaces1_092002.jpg
http://www.unc.edu/news/pics/visiting/afgfaces2_092002.jpg

Johnston Center contact: Randi Davenport, associate director, (919) 843-7765