09-22-2008, 09:07 PM
Deccan Chronile, 22 Sept 2008
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Afghan women have a brush with freedom
Â
By Debarun Borthakur
When you have thousands of untold stories to narrate, but you canât express them, art can act as the perfect mouthpiece. Spearheading an artistic revolution amidst the political dynamism in Afghanistan are a bunch of young women, who are determined to revive the artistic traditions of the country, and are keen on presenting a new era of contemporary Afghan art on the global arena.
<b>Centre for Contemporary Arts, Afghanistan, in collaboration with Indian Council For Cultural Research and Embassy of Kabul, organised the first independent art exhibition by Afghan women in the history of Afghanistan at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts in the capital.</b> The exhibition highlighted the life of Afghan women, and showcased the various issues faced by them in recent years. Curated by the founder and director of the first art institute in Afghanistan, Centre for Contemporary Art, Rahraw Omarzad, the exhibition showcased 40 paintings by 18 young women artistes between the age group of 16 to 25 years.
<b>The paintings reflected the trauma and pain that women in Afghanistan have gone through.</b> âWe are not allowed to come out of our houses if we are not accompanied by a male member of the family,â said Yalda Noorie, a 26-year-old painter. Paintings titled as Liberty, Remembrance, Power and Revolution had themes that focused on the life of women in Afghanistan, narrating stories of hope and agony. âWe asked them to paint whatever they wanted to, as we never wanted them to confine their thoughts to any particular religion or issue,â said Rahraw Omarzad.
<b>How difficult was it to introduce the women in Afghanistan to contemporary art?</b> âEighty per cent of the women had absolutely no idea about painting and art. Initially, we taught them drawing, and after three months we gave them hints of conceptual art and creative paintings. This is the result of one yearâs training,â said Omarzad.
<b>Omarzad recalls the initial difficulties he faced in establishing CCAA. âThe idea struck me when I was living in Peshawar as a refugee. By then, I was working for an art magazine. I called up a few painters to discuss the idea and asked for their support. We even thought of approaching the Pakistani government, and wanted to have talks with the Taliban, but later thought it would be too dangerous, so we went ahead and did it ourselves,â said Omarzad. </b>
How did the families of these young women artistes react to the idea of joining an art school? âInitially, it was difficult for us to get students. We made paper pamphlets with all the details about the institute and distributed them,â said the curator.
Now that these women are determined to do what they are best at, what are their expectations from the global market? âIt is a new movement in Afghanistan, and of course, our art has a uniqueness. These painters emphasise more on the concept than the technicalities, and I think that is our USP. However, these young artistes donât want to sell their paintings as they want to use them for other exhibitions,â said Omarzad. Except Khadija Hashemi, who sold one of her paintings to the minister of art and culture, Germany for $9,000, no other artist has ever sold any of her creations.
<b>With only two art galleries in Afghanistan (at Herat and Kabul), how is Omarzad planning to popularise art in Afghanistan?</b> âWe want to open more art galleries in our country, but first we want to do something in Kabul,â informed Omarzad. <b>Funded by the Women of the World Foundation, Centre for Contemporary Art in Afghanistan is a first-of-its-kind venture. CCAA is also planning to introduce photography and textile designing courses in the coming years.</b>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->Afghan women have a brush with freedom
Â
By Debarun Borthakur
When you have thousands of untold stories to narrate, but you canât express them, art can act as the perfect mouthpiece. Spearheading an artistic revolution amidst the political dynamism in Afghanistan are a bunch of young women, who are determined to revive the artistic traditions of the country, and are keen on presenting a new era of contemporary Afghan art on the global arena.
<b>Centre for Contemporary Arts, Afghanistan, in collaboration with Indian Council For Cultural Research and Embassy of Kabul, organised the first independent art exhibition by Afghan women in the history of Afghanistan at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts in the capital.</b> The exhibition highlighted the life of Afghan women, and showcased the various issues faced by them in recent years. Curated by the founder and director of the first art institute in Afghanistan, Centre for Contemporary Art, Rahraw Omarzad, the exhibition showcased 40 paintings by 18 young women artistes between the age group of 16 to 25 years.
<b>The paintings reflected the trauma and pain that women in Afghanistan have gone through.</b> âWe are not allowed to come out of our houses if we are not accompanied by a male member of the family,â said Yalda Noorie, a 26-year-old painter. Paintings titled as Liberty, Remembrance, Power and Revolution had themes that focused on the life of women in Afghanistan, narrating stories of hope and agony. âWe asked them to paint whatever they wanted to, as we never wanted them to confine their thoughts to any particular religion or issue,â said Rahraw Omarzad.
<b>How difficult was it to introduce the women in Afghanistan to contemporary art?</b> âEighty per cent of the women had absolutely no idea about painting and art. Initially, we taught them drawing, and after three months we gave them hints of conceptual art and creative paintings. This is the result of one yearâs training,â said Omarzad.
<b>Omarzad recalls the initial difficulties he faced in establishing CCAA. âThe idea struck me when I was living in Peshawar as a refugee. By then, I was working for an art magazine. I called up a few painters to discuss the idea and asked for their support. We even thought of approaching the Pakistani government, and wanted to have talks with the Taliban, but later thought it would be too dangerous, so we went ahead and did it ourselves,â said Omarzad. </b>
How did the families of these young women artistes react to the idea of joining an art school? âInitially, it was difficult for us to get students. We made paper pamphlets with all the details about the institute and distributed them,â said the curator.
Now that these women are determined to do what they are best at, what are their expectations from the global market? âIt is a new movement in Afghanistan, and of course, our art has a uniqueness. These painters emphasise more on the concept than the technicalities, and I think that is our USP. However, these young artistes donât want to sell their paintings as they want to use them for other exhibitions,â said Omarzad. Except Khadija Hashemi, who sold one of her paintings to the minister of art and culture, Germany for $9,000, no other artist has ever sold any of her creations.
<b>With only two art galleries in Afghanistan (at Herat and Kabul), how is Omarzad planning to popularise art in Afghanistan?</b> âWe want to open more art galleries in our country, but first we want to do something in Kabul,â informed Omarzad. <b>Funded by the Women of the World Foundation, Centre for Contemporary Art in Afghanistan is a first-of-its-kind venture. CCAA is also planning to introduce photography and textile designing courses in the coming years.</b>
<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->