When Cages Fly

"When Cages Fly" is an unconventional photobook born out of an unconventional story captured inside Herat Women's Prison, Afghanistan. The underlying story, "Where Prison Is a Kind Of Freedom,” originally featured in The New York Times Magazine, sheds light on the lives of women incarcerated for liberating themselves from abusive and violent marriages through drastic measures. Awarded the prestigious Robert Capa Gold Medal in 2020, this magazine feature served as the inspirational cornerstone for this book, which navigates the delicate balance between freedom and captivity, both physical and metaphorical.

Divided into three compelling chapters with minimal textual intervention and accompanied with a supplementary booklet, "When Cages Fly," encourages viewers to engage actively in crafting their own interpretations of the depicted reality. Central to the book's thematic exploration is an enclosed middle chapter, a metaphorical prison. Guarded yet paradoxically liberating, the prison becomes a sanctuary for those seeking refuge from the shackles of domestic oppression. We invite the viewers to rip through the encasement of the middle chapter in order to “gain access” to the prison.