In these photographs, Tim Hetherington takes a look at the eyes of those who cannot see. From 1999 to 2003, the late photographer visited the Milton Margai School for the Blind in Sierra Leone. Most of these sightless children were victims of the civil war, which began in 1991. Some were mutilated by rebel fighters while others were blinded by shrapnel.
In these black-and-white photographs, we discover their daily lives through Hetherington’s snapshots and staged photographs with a documentary aesthetic. These twelve images, mostly portraits, bear witness to the suffering of these people while letting them keep their dignity. “I have found that … they learn to live with blindness and to survive in their respective environment while seeking an education and guidance that will help them throughout their lives,” said Hetherington. “Many of them have an intense desire to communicate their experience and connect with people outside their day-to-day lives.”
Jonas Cuénin
Inner Light: Portraits of the Blind, Sierra Leone 1999 – 2003
Tim Hetherington
April 11 – May 18, 2013
Yossi Milo Gallery
245 10th Ave
New York, NY 10001
USA
(212) 414-0370
