In pictures: French photographer’s flowery portraits in conflict-afflicted Afghanistan

French photographer Oriane Zerah's photography project Afghanistan: Roses under thorns brings her interpretation of the country through flowery portraits from the country which has been marred by conflict and tragedies for the longest time; Travailler avec des fleurs (Source: Oriane Zerah)

Flower shopkeepers in Kabul, Afghanistan. (Source: Oriane Zerah)

Viscerally attached to this country, Oriane wanted and tried to represent its people and its society in a unique way by taking an object from its surroundings -- flowers. "I focused on an existing reality. Afghanistan has a knack for regularly questioning everything I think I know or know about it. I hope my photos will do the same," Oriane said in a statement; The exhibition will be at Galerie Romain Rolland, Alliance Française de Delhi till September 30, 2023 (Source: Oriane Zerah)

Mohammed Ehsan lives in the Lab e Darya district of Kabul, but he comes to work at Shah e now in the center of the capital. His job most often consists of carrying customers’ bulky purchases in his wheelbarrow. He earns around 300/400 afghanis per day (around 5 euros). He has always loved flowers a lot, and roses are his favorite flowers. He finds them very delicate. (Source: Oriane Zerah)

"This vision is infused with more than a decade of travelling through Afghanistan, including more than eight years of living full-time in Kabul, where I currently reside. In addition, the relationship with nature and beauty seems essential to me in a place where violence and horror have been part of everyday life. The flower that represents life, however fleeting and fragile it may be, is beauty within reach. It also symbolises in my eyes the fragile reconciliation of man with nature in a country where more than 70 per cent of the population lives in rural areas. In a place rife with destruction and brutality, this bond is all the more valuable," recalled Oriane. ; Portraits d'hommes et fleurs (Source: Oriane Zerah)

According to Oriane, the exhibition is an enchanting pictorial dive into another Afghanistan, one that cannot be reduced to its tragedies (Source: Oriane Zerah)

"As soon as I mentioned the photographic project with Afghans, they all immediately showed great enthusiasm: I was talking to them about something that touched deeply on Afghan culture. This love of flowers, I had not invented it. It was, and it is obvious," recollected Oriane; Femmes et fleurs (Source: Oriane Zerah)

Mahmood Anand is 85 years old. He lives in Parwan Province. His favorite flower is the red rose. The scent of flowers soothes him and gives him a feeling of well-being (Source: Oriane Zerah)