“This Alabaster Grave” by Photographer Cengiz Yar

A collection of images exploring the destruction and pain faced by the Iraqi city of Mosul by documentary photographer and editor Cengiz Yar. Currently based in El Paso, Texas, Yar’s work focuses on mass displacement, religious and ethnic minorities, and the repercussions of the Islamic State. He has photographed war and its effects in Iraq, Syria, and Afghanistan and has a long-term commitment to documenting civilian casualties as a result of conflict.

“This Alabaster Grave” marks Yar’s first monograph depicting Mosul, within the context of its history and now largely ruined architecture. The book questions the cost of the fight against ISIS and the global war on terror as seen through the lives and city that bore the brunt of it. Captured between 2015 and 2023, Yar’s photographs fluctuate between reportage and moments of contemplation.

The book is written in both English and Arabic and includes a foreword from Azmat Khan, an essay by Campbell MacDiarmid, and is designed by Jason Koxvold. Click here to learn more about the project and the kickstarter set up to support the final steps of production.