Displaced Murle tribe

Pete Muller’s photograph of the displaced women from the Murle tribe proves to be most powerful. Without pretending to be worldly or doing a quick Google™ search, one cannot see what causes the characters to be placed together, but one can see that it is not desirable. The image of women and children huddled together tugs at the heartstrings even before the caption is read. Muller captures suffering, and in this image, it’s captured quite beautifully.

A warm frame full of emotion and disparity, the viewers eye moves counter-clockwise, (starting in the center) from one despondent face to another. The expressions imply a joyless narrative. The conversation of color, light and (and lack thereof) puts emphasis on the foreground, where the sharpest major figures gaze just slightly beyond the lens. It’s decorated with different textures, all seemingly coarse or weathered. Even the negative space is used to show the poor conditions these displaced people.

Muller attempts—and I believe succeeds—in using one frame to spark interest, to call attention to life foreign to most. It brings so much information about these otherwise anonymous people. This image lead at least one audience member to research the tribal fighting in Sudan and then onto his other works. This photograph affects me as a human before and more than it does an aspiring artist, and does what documentaries should, it not only exposes actuality but it brings awareness and gives a face to Sudan’s tribal affliction.

Pete Muller a very talented photographer with a primary focus on war, poverty and social unrest. His website has a lot of his work, I recommend a look. His work on the rape trials of the Eastern Congo is incredibly moving… and speaking of moving he also does audio and video pieces as well. As a filmmaker with a more reflexive taste, his films are a bit too broadcast journalism for my personal liking but visually they’re STUNNING. Gorgeous cinematography is just gorgeous photography, 24 frames per second. CHECK IT OUT!