Out of the Dust

About

In 2007 photographer Hans Stakelbeek was commissioned by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs to document the reconstruction of Afghanistan in the midst of the on-going efforts to restore peace and stability to the country. The photographer made four trips to Afghanistan last year, shooting in Kabul and Uruzgan and other remote areas. As the project developed Stakelbeek became more and more interested in capturing the stories of the people he came to know, as well as the reconstruction efforts. Out of the Dust reveals an extraordinary set of images that pays tribute to the determination of the Afghan people to survive and live through the upheaval, attempting to live as normally as possible, building new homes, going to school, working, playing, amidst the most testing and frequently frightening of times. The images are accompanied by Stakelbeek's own text, giving the full context and telling the stories that lie behind them.