"Fighting for life. Defeating tuberculosis"

By Natasha Arlyapova, PIH-Russia’s Moscow-based communications specialist

	James Nachtwey and Paul Farmer

	James Nachtwey standing in front of an image taken in Tomsk during the opening of the exhibit at Moscow Center for Contemporary Arts.

On March 24, 2011, Moscow Center for Contemporary Arts—M’ARS—opened a photo exhibition by James Nachtwey, a world famous American photographer and photojournalist, under the title “Fighting for life. Defeating tuberculosis.”

The exhibition includes photographs taken at the PIH-affiliated site in Tomsk, Russian, in 2008, when James Nachtwey visited the local TB Hospital and a Specialized TB Correctional Unit. The visit of James to Tomsk was a part of the TB project supported by PIH.

The opening of the exhibition was dedicated to the World TB Day, which is marked globally on 24^th March. The exhibition, called for highlighting a problem of tuberculosis in community, presents a collection of unique photographs that demonstrate patients suffering from TB. (The exhibition in Moscow is a part of an international project supported by Becton, Dickinson & Company).

Before the opening of the photo exhibition, James told the story of his work documenting wars, conflicts, famine, and critical social issues. The audience—mostly Russian photographers and photojournalists—were impressed by the collection of images documenting conflict in over two dozen of the world’s most volatile countries.

James Nachtwey has worked in hot spots around the world and witnessed horrible humanitarian disasters. His works are internationally recognized: he has twice received the World Press Photo award; he has been awarded the Overseas Press Club’s Robert Capa Gold Medal in 1983, 1984, 1986, 1994 and 1998. (This award recognizes the best foreign photojournalist who demonstrated exceptional courage). James Nachtwey has been recognized as one of the world’s best photojournalists and awarded as the Magazine Photographer of the Year seven times. He has also received numerous honors and medals.

See images from Nachtwey’s new exhibit. Images 46-48 are PIH-related.

Learn more about PIH’s work in Russia.