Mohammed Omar Gudle, Hussein Dahir Hassan and Abdul Rehman Ibrahim, Tuberculosis recovery ward, Somali refugee camp, Mandera, Kenya 1993

This photograph by Fazal Sheikh captures three men in a tuberculosis recovery ward in a Somali refugee camp in Mandera, Kenya. The men are draped in a Futah, a traditional garment worn in parts of the Arab world and East Africa, symbolizing cultural identity and resilience. The image is a haunting echo of Christian iconography depicting martyrdom and suffering. The skeletal figures evoke images of saints and biblical figures emaciated by disease and persecution. These men, like the figures in Renaissance paintings, elicit deep feelings of empathy and contemplation on the human condition. Note the man's pose on the right, with his hand resting on his hip. This gesture, reminiscent of classical contrapposto, is a symbol of poise and self-assurance, a faint echo of dignity amidst suffering. In this photograph, cultural memory merges with stark reality, reminding us of the enduring power of the human spirit across time and cultures.