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War and Faith in Sudan is available at
In his review of War and Faith in Sudan, John T. Spike wrote: James Nicholls stands out among the contemporary photographers for whom documentary has not lost its force. This is because he is a most reliable witness. His images of the Sudan catastrophe contain nothing enhanced, suppressed or digitalized. Nicholls is also a special observer, and we are lucky to have him. His concern is not the suffering inflicted on innocents, but rather their indomitable will to survive. His subjects have many faces but one recognizable spirit. It is by our power to respect the dignity and significance of human life, Nicholls reminds us, that we are of more value than the sparrows. John T. Spike Director |
Here is what Anne Lamott has written about Jim's photographs in War and Faith in Sudan: Why in these days of terror and confusion and disillusionment am I going to try to convince you to spend some time studying photographs of the Nuba mountain people of Sudan? You could be or should be cleaning out the garage, or paying the bills, or finalizing next summer’s vacation plans. You can even be volunteering at the local soup kitchen, taking care of your own poor. But instead, I’m asking you to sit down with these people of Sudan, and I’m promising you that good things will spring from this. Nicholls rather accidentally ended up in this area with a friend, and his camera, and what the theologian Howard Thurman calls 'quiet eyes.' He found the people to be rich in dignity and tradition and goodness—they’ve been getting along for centuries, these people of such different faiths and traditions. So why look through another book of Africans barely surviving? Well, why visit a friend, who despite your tender presence, is going to die anyway? Because that’s why we’re here. To pay attention, bear witness, and find our way to an authentic relationship with Spirit. We’re here to grieve and cheer for one another and crack open our hearts, even though that often hurts terribly-- Leonard Cohen said there are cracks in everything, and that’s how the light gets in. So Jim Nicholls gives us these photographs from a remote part of Africa, so we can see her cracks and her light and her shadows, and see our own. |
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