Daniel Malikyar's Afghanistan: Intimate Portraits of Resilience and Beauty
Photographer Daniel Malikyar, son of Afghan refugees, publishes 'Afghanistan' with teNeues, offering a counter-narrative to decades of war coverage. The book features communities rarely photographed before Taliban rule, including Pashai youth in Nangarhar, women in Wakhan, and the sport buzkashi in Pamir. Malikyar, who grew up in Los Angeles, made multiple self-funded journeys across remote regions, documenting traditions, landscapes, and daily life. His work challenges stereotypes, emphasizing dignity and humanity. Key images include a boy at Hazrat Ali Shrine in Mazar-i-Sharif, winter landscapes in Nuristan, and portraits of his family. The project aims to show Afghanistan's beauty and complexity beyond headlines.
Key facts
- Daniel Malikyar is the son of Afghan refugees.
- The book 'Afghanistan' is published by teNeues.
- Malikyar grew up in Los Angeles, California.
- He made multiple self-funded journeys to remote regions of Afghanistan.
- Communities in some villages had never seen a camera before.
- The book includes photographs of Pashai youth in Nangarhar.
- Women in Wakhan were photographed with direct eye contact.
- Buzkashi was photographed from within the game in Pamir.
- Winter landscapes in Nuristan show snow-covered mountains.
- Hazrat Ali Shrine in Mazar-i-Sharif is covered in hand-painted blue tiles.
- Local tradition says every bird visiting the shrine turns white.
- Malikyar's grandfather Omar documented family moments on video.
- His father Daoud read 'The Kite Runner' by Khaled Hosseini to him.
- The project aims to give Afghan people a voice through dignity and humanity.
Entities
Artists
- Daniel Malikyar
- Omar Malikyar
- Daoud Malikyar
- Khaled Hosseini
Institutions
- teNeues
Locations
- Afghanistan
- Kabul
- Wakhan
- Mazar-i-Sharif
- Nangarhar
- Pamir
- Nuristan
- Los Angeles
- United States
- Virginia
- Hazrat Ali Shrine