James Nachtwey, American, born 1948
Contra Mortally Wounded in Jungle Warfare, Nicaragua
1984
Digital photograph
James Nachtwey captured this photograph in Nicaragua during a conflict between the Sandinistas and a right-wing rebel group called the Contras. Taken after a Contra offensive in the jungle, it features one of their members being carried out of the fray. The injured, shirtless soldier is hoisted aloft on the backs of his companions, showing his vulnerability. As he is borne out of the dense jungle foliage and the unseen conflict, his Christlike outspread arms and almost peaceful expression seem at odds with the chaos of warfare.
Nachtwey, a Dartmouth alumnus, was inspired to pursue war photography after seeing iconic images from Vietnam. He has spent the last thirty years working as a contract photographer for Time magazine, travelling to war-torn nations internationally. A major retrospective exhibition of his career opened at the Palazzo Reale in Milan in December 2017 and will travel to museums internationally.