Muzafar Ali has won international recognition for his dramatic photographs of the beauty of his homeland, Afghanistan. The striking images of the people and landscapes of some of the remotest parts of the country draw audiences to consider our shared humanity. A former refugee, Muzafar’s creative practice emerges from a deep sense of social justice, refugee advocacy and human rights. His experience of multiple displacements and the trauma of war means that his photography is rich with empathy for the people whose lives he has captured. His art invites us to connect with the Hazara people as they go about their daily lives and persist in the face of adversity.

The artwork below showcases a key theme in Ali’s life and mission—enabling the agency of those who are often regarded as helpless. Images of children walking purposefully together presents a powerful vision of hope for the future and progress into a new era. White scarved, Daikundi girls on their way to school and boys celebrating Ashura are striving onwards to make their way despite the troubled world around. The striking colours of Hazara clothing stands out against the sand of the desert and the rugged teeth of the distant snow-capped mountains—a celebration of the beauty in life and human resilience. Ali’s portraits of children in Khedir look with direct gazes, full of intent and purpose challenge the viewer to action. What, they ask, are you doing?  

No less startling are the images of the vast Bamyan valley and the empty caverns where 6th century Buddhist statues stood over 50 metres high until destroyed by the Taliban in 2001. The gaping hole in the side of the vast mountain range, with cave homes where Buddhist monks once dwelled, tell of ancient cultural connections across Eurasia. Ali’s image of the now-empty giant niche shows humanity resilient amidst majestic mountainous terrain and in the face of seemingly insurmountable hardships.

Ali’s art below invites us to connect with the personal lives of the Hazara people who prevail in the face of great odds and whose lives are connected to the majestic land that is Afghanistan. When placed alongside his photographs of Australia—we see the common humanity of the people of Afghanistan and Australian. In advocating for refugees and their agency, he promotes education for all and calls us to build a greater understanding of the refugee journey. Working with Windmill Theatre in Adelaide, Ali’s personal knowledge of the struggles unaccompanied minors experience navigating their lives as refugees has resulted in a play, Amphibian (run in 2018 and 2021). Building connections between people and communicating across cultures is central to Ali’s artwork.