Winner Bourse du Talent 2025 : Aria Shahrokhshahi
Wet Ground
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“Wet Ground” explores Ukraine’s transformation amidst ongoing war, emphasising the dualities of violence and normalcy, destruction and resilience. Created from a place of compassion and commitment to social mobility, the work seeks to reveal what emerges from the ashes of conflict, placing the affected community at the centre of the narrative.
Initiated in 2019 and shaped through Aria Shahrokhshahi’s long-term engagement as a humanitarian volunteer with NGO Base UA, the project offers an embedded, collaborative perspective rooted in lived experience. Rejecting the conventional visual tropes of war photography, “Wet Ground” blends black-and-white documentary images with sculptures made from debris and clay sourced from bombed villages, and multimedia components including sound pieces generated using live minefield maps. These elements act as tactile embodiments of memory, creating a layered archive of resilience.
The work reclaims space for stories often overlooked in mainstream coverage and proposes an expanded role for documentary photography—one that engages ethically with trauma, legacy, and community. “Wet Ground” challenges dominant portrayals of conflict by highlighting how violence not only devastates landscapes but also fractures and transforms collective identity. It testifies to the persistence of life, culture, and imagination in the face of destruction.
Aria Shahrokhshahi is a British-Iranian photographer and filmmaker whose documentary practice centres on individuals and communities navigating complex personal, social and political conditions.
His long-term projects are grounded in immersive engagement, often developed while living alongside those he photographs. Using photography as a tool for empowerment and social action, Aria Shahrokhshahi’s work has supported NGOs and individuals through fundraising campaigns.
His work challenges dominant narratives and seeks to foster empathy by reframing public perception. He has undertaken projects in the UK, Iran, Gambia, and Ukraine—where he is a humanitarian volunteer with NGO Base UA. His current project, “Wet Ground”, explores Ukraine’s transformation and resilience through photography, sculpture, and sound, highlighting the tension between everyday life and ongoing conflict.
Website : https://www.ariamark.com/