Glass Artist Pulling Sculpture in Mazar-i-Sharif

Predawn darkness envelops the workshop in Mazar-i-Sharif, where a glass artist stands before a furnace. String lights cast a warm, amber glow on the worker's hands as they pull a glowing orange sculpture from the molten mass. The air is filled with a fine mist from the light drizzle outside, visible as faint droplets on the workshop windows. The artist's movements are slow and deliberate, reflecting the patience of winter's dead hours. Tools rest on a nearby wooden bench, their metal surfaces dull in the low light. The sculpture stretches upward, its form fluid and glowing against the dark, damp interior. one drop of molten glass rests on the tip of the tool, catching the light.