French photographer Pierre Ouzeau has shared photos he took in Hrasnica in 1995 and is searching for people who were captured by his camera back then.
During that time, Ouzeau photographed residents, students, and their teachers.
“One person wrote to me in 2022, saying they recognized themselves in one of my photographs while casually browsing my website. After they posted the photo on Facebook, other people began contacting me. This moving story inspired me to start a project: to find as many of the people I photographed in 1995 as possible and showcase this work through an exhibition in Hrasnica and Sarajevo in 2025, marking 30 years since the end of the war,” he said.
In a previous interview, Ouzeau mentioned that these photographs had been stored in boxes for a long time but that now felt like the right time to do something with them.
“I photographed children in Hrasnica who would use the frequent ceasefires (the Dayton Agreement would end the war in December) to go outside, attend school, and regain a sense of normal life, if only for a moment… When I returned home, I showcased about 15 of the pictures during an exhibition in Perigueux. Since then, they’ve remained in boxes. However, I often reflect on this experience, and as the years pass, I see the 30th anniversary of the end of the fighting approaching, and my desire to do something with these photographs has grown,” he explained.
Ouzeau recently sent additional photos to Dzemil Hodzic, who runs the Sniper Alley page.
“A large number of my photos can be seen on his website. For this project, I would like to ask anyone who recognizes themselves in the photos to send me a selfie so I can connect it with the original photograph, creating a bridge between the wartime years and today. I would also like this project to continue with the publication of a book, translated into Bosnian and French, which would tell the personal stories of each individual through text and testimonies,” he stated.
In addition to the aforementioned website, Pierre and Dzemil can be contacted via the emails pierre.ouzeau@gmail.com and info@sniperalley.photo.
“If this project interests you, I’m counting on your support. I sincerely hope I’ll be able to showcase all the photos and organize a touching reunion in Hrasnica in 2025!” said Ouzeau, Klix.ba writes.
E.Dz.
