Richard Mosse visited eastern Congo to document the war between 2010 and 2011. He used Kodak color infrared sensitive Aerochrome. Hence the name of the series: Infra. By using that film he manages to create a very interesting contrast. He photographed the weird kind of beauty that surrounds a conflict zone. Wonderful colors make for a dreamy and alien world.
The pink jungle with men carrying weapons is such a contrast that tells the story. Mosse’s photographs really sticks out of the never-ending journalism and documentary photographs of conflict zones. For me his work is a way to make us stand still by what’s really going on. Perhaps a way of bringing news in a beautiful package to both get our attention and fulfill our need to consume news every day, over and over again. His work stamps on the break and make us look twice. Different layers to tell a terrible story.
Richard Mosse’s website: www.richardmosse.com