Steve McCurry laments situation in Afghanistan ahead of Paris exhibition

Paris, Dec 8 (EFE).- More than 150 photographs illustrate the work of US photographer Steve McCurry over the last forty years, in an exhibition in Paris where the artist expressed his concern about the worsening situation in Afghanistan and his effort to portray the human consequences of war.

“It is heartbreaking, it’s a catastrophe,” he said during an interview with Efe of the suffering in Afghanistan, where the Taliban swept to power this summer after foreign troops withdrew, exacerbating Kabul’s dire economic and humanitarian crisis.

“There is a lot of blame to go around, but in the end what we need to do is forget the politics and try and help these people who are caught in this terrible situation,” he added on the sidelines of the exhibition, which opens to the public on Thursday and runs until 29 May.

The display comprises 150 photos taken by McCurry, 71, over the past four decades, including the iconic ‘Afghan Girl’ portrait, which dates back to 1985.

The ‘Afghan Girl’ Sharbat Gula, now 49 years old, has just found refuge in Italy after fleeing the current situation in Afghanistan.

The exhibition features the photos of McCurry in Southeast Asia, Africa and Latin America, with two large sections dedicated to his striking portraits and his photographs of children around the world.

“Life is short you find things you’re inspired by, you find people, friends, relationships. I happen to make a trip to Asia in 1975 and decided to continue working there”, he said. EFE

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