Testament

Chris Hondros

Testament is a collection of photographs and writing by late photojournalist Chris Hondros spanning over a decade of coverage from most of the world’s conflicts since the late 1990s, including Kosovo, Afghanistan, the West Bank, Iraq, Liberia, Egypt, and Libya.

Through Hondros’ images, we witness a jubilant Liberian rebel fighter exalt during a firefight, a U.S. Marine remove Saddam Hussein’s portrait from an Iraqi classroom, American troops ride confidently in a thin-skinned unarmored Humvee during the first months of the Iraq war, “the probing eyes of an Afghan village boy,” and “rambunctious Iraqi schoolgirls enjoying their precious few years of relative freedom before aging into more restricted adulthoods.”

Hondros was not just a front-line war photographer, but also a committed observer and witness, and his work humanizes complex world events and brings to light shared human experiences. Evident in his writings, interspersed throughout, Hondros was determined to broaden our understanding of war and its consequences. This unyielding determination led Hondros to take dozens of trips to Iraq and Afghanistan, even as the news turned elsewhere. During these “routine” trips, Hondros examined and observed daily life in these war-torn societies. His inventive Humvee picture series frames the ever-changing landscapes of these countries, offering a glimpse into the daily lives of those most affected by conflict.

Artist Bios

Chris Hondros

Two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and Getty Images photojournalist Chris Hondros covered most of the world’s major conflicts and disasters since the late 1990s, including work in Kosovo, Afghanistan, the West Bank, Iraq, Haiti, Liberia, Egypt, and Libya. Hondros was not just a front-line war photographer—he was a committed observer and witness. His work humanizes complex world events and brings to light shared human experiences. Evident in his writings, interspersed throughout, Hondros was determined to broaden our understanding of war and its consequences.

Organizations

Chris Hondros Fund

The Chris Hondros Fund was established to honor two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist and Getty Images photojournalist Chris Hondros, killed on April 20, 2011 while on assignment in Misurata, Libya. The fund’s purpose is to honor Hondros’s legacy by highlighting the ways in which photojournalism brings to light shared human experiences which might otherwise go unreported or unnoticed. As part of the fund’s Education and Awareness program, we support photography and visual education for youth—particularly in underserved communities in New York City. We support individual photographers, students of photography, and nonprofits.
United Photo Industries (UPI)

United Photo Industries (UPI) is a New York based nonprofit organization that works to promote a wider understanding of, and increased access to, the art of photography.

Since its founding in 2011, UPI has rapidly solidified its position in the public art landscape by continuing to showcase thought-provoking, challenging, and exceptional photography from across the globe. In its first seven years, UPI has presented the work of more than 2,500 visual artists in gallery exhibitions and public art installations worldwide.