Former tea house in a park...

C-Type colour print entitled 'Former tea house in a park next to the Afghan Exhibition of Economic and Social Achievements in the Shah Shahid district of Kabul. Balloons were illegal under the Talibans, but now the balloon-sellers are common on the streets of Kabul.' , by Simon Norfolk, 2001. From 'Afghanistan: Chronotopia 2001-2002.

C-Type colour print entitled 'Former tea house in a park next to the Afghan Exhibition of Economic and Social Achievements in the Shah Shahid district of Kabul. Balloons were illegal under the Talibans, but now the balloon-sellers are common on the streets of Kabul.' , by Simon Norfolk, 2001. From 'Afghanistan: Chronotopia: Landscapes of the Destruction of Afghanistan', 2002.

Simon Norfolk (born 1963) is known for his large scale colour photographs of the aftermath of wars. Ruined landscapes, buildings and local communities are typical themes, as Norfolk surveys the desolation left behind after conflict. This photograph is taken from one of his most important series – Afghanistan: Chronotopia, and shows a balloon seller, standing in front of a former teahouse in Kabul.

Romantic history painters of the 18th and 19th century are referenced in Simon Norfolk's photographs, through the dramatic skies, the colours and the scale of the works. The ruined landscape has been aestheticised – perhaps a memorial to what has been destroyed.