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Grazda
captures the lives of Muslims on camera.
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New
York photographer Edward Grazda has spent most of his professional
career building a relationship with the people of Afghanistan
through the lenses of his cameras. Grazda, who studied photography
at the Rhode Island School of Design, caught the bug from his father
who snapped photos in China and India during his World War II tour
of duty. Grazda travels to Afghanistan nearly every year, thus
creating an intimate quality in his photos that speaks volumes for
his finely honed craft. Grazda’s photos are on display at Sepia
International in Manhattan, and his latest book, New York Masjid:
Mosques of New York City, with text by Jerrilynn D. Dodds, has just
been published. Grazda recently spoke with IslamOnline about his
relationship with Afghanistan and his new book.
IOL:
You have gone to Afghanistan numerous times – more than 20 –
over the last 20 years. What initially led you to that country?
Grazda:
I just happened to stumble on the situation with the refugees in the
1980s. So I was kind of in the area and just went over. The main
thing that attracted me was the people – they were very amazing.
It was kind of fun to photograph them. In the 1980s you could have
access to these people fighting the Russians. As a photographer
that’s a big thing. The landscape, the people, the culture, it all
made for good photography. At that time it was just kind of an
interesting thing. I didn’t know it was going to be a story
that’s going to change the world 20 years later.
Q.
What compelled you to keep going back?
A.
The people. Friends that I made. The hospitality of the people, the
incredible resilience of them. I’ve come to feel that in third
world countries the people don’t have a sense that they’re poor.
Here everyone worries about their position. [In Afghanistan] a guy
who’s making bread is happy – he’s doing his thing. The people
don’t feel downtrodden. I don’t feel like I’m a tourist in
Afghanistan. I’m working on building a connection. And because
I’ve been there longer, it’s a deeper feeling. And now it’s
become a kind of a history that’s overtaken everything. Initially
it was my own fantasy world, but now, for better for worse, it’s
become a kind of a history.
Q.
You’ve seen Afghanistan move through many transformations and
regimes. How has this been translated to your photographs?
A.
Now it’s completely changed from what it was under the Taliban.
Total reversal of everything. You can photograph anything you want,
you can talk to people. People are happy. You don’t have to worry
about walking down the street with a camera. It’s an open society.
Q.
Lead us through the photography process a bit. What inspires you to
take pictures? How do you know what will make a good shot?
A.
All that is totally intuitive. When I go out, I’m just walking
around and just seeing what’s there without any preconceived
things. And because I’m not generally working on assignment, I
don’t have to worry about getting a picture of this person or this
event. There isn’t an editor waiting for a picture of whomever. So
that way I can do what I want. You’ve done it so long that you
trust yourself that the situation is good and the pictures will be
all right.
Q.
Your photographs have such an intimate quality, like you are very
comfortable with the country and its people. How have you developed
such a relationship?
A.
It’s just the way I work. I have been there a lot, so I feel
comfortable walking around by myself. I don’t speak the language,
but I know enough to say ‘Hi’ and ‘How are you,’
‘Salaam,’ whatever. I’m not afraid, even though I don’t know
exactly what they’re saying. I’m not threatened. I think I’m
pretty relaxed and the people understand I’m relaxed, so I have
that level of comfort. Especially on this last trip everyone was
happy, saying America was great.
Q.
How have your experiences in that country shaped your own
spirituality?
A.
There is a certain spiritual nature in Afghanistan, and I feel it
when I’m there. It’s impressive to see everyone at prayer, for
instance, so that is sort of an interesting thing to see as a
non-Muslim. I don’t know what the right word is – impressive, or
something to see, everyone kneeling together. Even seeing someone
praying by themselves at the side of the road grabs you. The way the
religion has integrated into the culture is a natural thing, is an
interesting phenomena.
Q.
Your latest book on the mosques of New York City – how was that
idea conceived?
A.
It’s Jerrilynn Dodd’s idea. She teaches architectural history at
City College [in New York City]. She has a class where the students
find a religious space in New York City – a temple, a mosque, a
church – that was something else before, and they do a little
research project on it. As she did this class, a lot of mosques
[were] turning up, storefront mosques. Then she was introduced to me
because I was someone who had some Islamic knowledge.
Q.
How was the experience of photographing mosques? How did you know
which mosques to photograph?
A.
We drove around and snapped photos. It was actually very
unorganized. We’d get a calendar from one mosque and it would list
a bunch of other mosques, and we would check some of those out. A
couple of times someone would say, “Oh, there’s a Bosnia mosque
over there.” And as you went you’d spot one in Queens. It was
like that. Some were from [Dodds’] research.
Q.
Were your subjects cooperative to being photographed?
A.
Most places were cooperative, once we told when what we were doing.
Then there was a couple like, “You are CIA agents.” But that was
not the majority. I’ve given the books to a couple of Imams I
photographed and they were excited.
Q.
The timing of the book is especially opportune, with all the
attention on Islam in this post-Sept. 11th climate. Do you think
people get a good impression of the religion from the book?
A.
We started photographing the book in 1993. In 1997 we had a small
exhibition and couldn’t find a publisher. Then [Daniel] Power [of
PowerHouse Books], who was starting his publishing business, called
me in to see the mosque pictures. I had just finished the most
recent Afghanistan book so I brought that. He and his partner said
“Let’s do this Afghanistan thing.” We put the mosque behind
us. Then last summer they were saying “let’s do it”, before
Sept. 11th. After Sept. 11th everything took off. I have seen
a lot of these [mosques] over the years and you can see the
transition. There’s an Afghan mosque in the book: There’s a
picture of it when it’s a frame house and now the house is gone
and it’s a big dome and minaret. You can see how the community is
bettering itself.
Q.
You’ve photographed Muslims in Afghanistan and Muslims in New York
City – do you find them to be similar in beliefs and spirituality?
A.
When you go to Eid on 96th street, you still get that feeling, that
strong impression of everyone praying, facing the same direction.
That feeling of democracy. That’s universal. You translate it a
little bit in the context of New York. The moment in the prayer or
some holiday, it’s fairly universal.
Q.
You’re leaving for Afghanistan this week – what is your next
project?
A.
I’m mostly interested in the Grand Council meeting (Loya Jirga) to
pick the new government. This hasn’t happened since the king was
there in the late 70s. This is kind of a historic thing. Since the
work is taking on a historic nature, this is an event I’m
interested in covering. I was there when a new government was
installed in December, if I had never been there before, it would be
going there to covering a news event. But this way it adds to the
archive. It’s a special thing in Kabul’s history.
**
Grazda’s photos from the Grand Council meeting can be viewed on www.eurasianet.org 
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