The Art of Freedom Project

Afghanistan has long been affected by war and conflict. The last 20 years have seen Afghan women, who faced extreme exclusions at the hand of the Taliban, struggle the most against social norms, conservative attitudes and prevailing gender stereotypes. Their voices and narratives were hardly included in the political as well as the social sphere. However, with the recent emergency situation in Afghanistan and return of Taliban to power, people fear that their country might be back at war. As the Afghan women are most vulnerable today for their hard-earned freedoms are lost, this project aims to bring those voices at the forefront using art.

The goal of the Art of Freedom project, therefore is to bring in the forefront the narratives of Afghan women and their own experiences of fighting social norms and gender stereotypes over the years. It will bring together voices of the women sharing their own ‘small wins’ and fights against injustice and how they gained the freedom that they have today. As a result, 10 Afghan women artists will create artwork depicting these stories and experiences and share it with the public as part of an art exhibition as well as a printed anthology zine. This project will build the capacity of young women artists in Afghanistan to help them express their political or social views using art. The art produced through the project will also be a reminder of the women’s strength and power to fight against injustice. This can serve as a reminder or a handbook for women all over the world in situations of conflict.