The subjects are German civilians dressed as Afghan and Taliban villagers. They play this role 24 hours a day 7 days a week living in simulated Afghan towns. Their role serves as 'culture simulation' for American and international troops bound for Afghanistan."
This series of photographs is a journey into the very mindset and process of Otherness. It delves into our need of the construct of “Othersâ€, painting those unlike us as exotic, alien, dangerous – a tactic which we then use to provide an enemy, to paint someone as a “bad guyâ€. This status is often conferred based almost solely on appearances, be they physical or ideological, rather than grounded in a true understanding of who or what these people ultimately, actually represent. However, if we take a closer look, we may often be disarmed by what we find…
In examining this issue, we also get a sense of its broader implications on the ways in which we wage wars, and an understanding of their inherent contradictions and flaws. By looking closer at those who we label as “Taliban†we can come to a deeper understanding not just of our mindset but of who we are as human beings sharing space on this earth.