11 september 2008 - The traveling World Press Photo exhibition shows the best press photos of 2007. For the next few weeks they will be on display at the TU/e.

The annual World Press Photo exhibition pretends to select the best pictures from press photography, yet there are often heated discussions about the winning photos. This year it is no different. A photo of an American soldier in Afghanistan was selected in February of this year as the best press photo of 2007. Heaps of criticism were poured over the picture by the Brit Tim Hetherington. It was not even sharp, sneered colleagues. Hetherington refused to be taken aback, though. “The power of a photo is not so much to show something, but lies hidden more in its ability to connect people.”

Hetherington made a report of a young American soldier in the Afghan Korengal valley. After fierce fighting with the Taliban a quarter of this soldier’s unit were killed or injured. Hiding in a bunker on the base the party that has returned still senses the shimmering suspense and disbelief. Thanks to this information the blurred photo acquires razor-sharp contours all at once.

The exhibition is on display at two locations on the TU/e campus: in the hall of the Hoofdgebouw and of Kennispoort. On show from Friday 12 September thru Sunday 5 October.