After the Taliban took over Afghanistan, many of the country's citizens are uncertain of how it will affect their lives and safety.
But to an outsider like me, it can be difficult to make sense of it and fully understand what these people are going through. So I have to turn to someone who can explain.
Shamsia Hassani, a painter who has taught at Kabul University, is considered Afghanistan's first female street artist. Whether she's working on a canvas or the wall of an abandoned bombed building, Hassani's works not only portray the role of women in a male-dominated society but also provide a glimpse into the battle between light and darkness that has enslaved the place she calls home.
More info: shamsiahassani.net | Instagram
Meet Shamsia Hassani, a painter who has taught at Kabul University and is considered Afghanistan's first female street artist
She got into it in 2010 after going to a graffiti workshop led by UK artist CHU
Since then, Hassani has developed a unique style and painted her trademark character -- a woman with her eyes shut and no mouth -- all over the country
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Shamsia Hassani was born to Afghan parents in Iran in 1988. She has had to endure hardships from the very start of her life. “Since Iran has no law through which you can be an Iranian national, I stayed Afghan after birth," the artist told Bored Panda. “I still remember that Afghans were not allowed to work in Iran just because of their nationality. Afghans were told that they don’t have the government’s permission to find a job, so my parents were facing a lot of difficulties. But I was young and didn’t understand."
Eventually, her life took Shamsia back to Afghanistan. There, in 2010, she attended a graffiti workshop that was held in Kabul by Combat Communications and it has taken her on a path she still follows a decade later. “I attended the workshop with 9 colleagues from Berang. Combat Communications invited CHU, a graffiti artist from the UK to lead the event.”
“CHU’s lectures included theory, practical work, and presentations of different artists from around the world,” Shamsia added. “There, we learned graffiti for the first time. As the workshop continued, we learned about spray techniques and how to paint large scale drawings on the wall.”
After the workshop, the other 9 artists that attended it with Shamsia did not continue working on their graffiti skills or follow the art form at all. She, however, was hooked. “I really liked it and thought it has a lot of uses. I believed that graffiti can be a tool through which I will change the war-torn walls of my city into colorful paintings,” Shamsia explained. “The colors would hide stories of war on the walls of my city and people would see new things instead of bullet signs and cracks.”
“I also believed it could be a way for people to experience my art, people who have never been to an exhibition and have never seen my works. They could get a chance to discover and enjoy something new. Maybe some would even take pictures in front of it and have a few minutes of entertainment.”
Im from Croatia, im 40 and live alone with my daughter (13). We have a room in our apartment for another person. If there is a woman seeking home away from Afghanistan i would like to help.
But when Shamsia got into graffiti, her country became more dangerous and she couldn’t go outside to spray happiness. There were also some other cultural nuances that she had to face. “People in Afghanistan are not against art, but they’re against women’s activities,” she said. “So when someone saw me outside doing graffiti, they said bad words, they cursed, and some called it a sin.“
“When I painted in public spaces, I would start feeling unsafe after about 15 minutes, so I would leave the place. If I had the opportunity to stay for about 2-3 hours, my pieces would have been better but in 15 minutes all I could do was either paint something very simple or leave the piece unfinished.”
“The other issue was that there was a lack of places for graffiti. No one wanted a painting on their walls, they only agreed if I created something to their liking. They had their own requests when it came to their property and didn’t want my artworks.”
Shamsia said that after the fall of the Taliban in 2001, despite the ongoing war and various political and social issues, the situation for women actually improved – they gradually entered society and were provided with the opportunity to study and grow. “During these twenty years, many women developed in various fields like education, trade, culture, medicine, etc. The progress was slow but very promising.”
But unfortunately, things have just taken a turn for the worse. “Now, with the return of the Taliban (I still don’t believe it at all when I say this), many women are leaving the country and ... do not see a bright future. The result of all these years of effort was for nothing.”
Luckily, Hassani is safe but to her disappointment and sadness, she has had to leave her country.
Lila Wells, there was no robbery. It's not 100% sure that a crime was actually committed.
Even if it was, it's exactly the same. Talibans would only cut his hand, so those USA policemen are worse.
Load More Replies...Bullcookies. He tried to pass a $20 bill that he probably didn't even know was counterfeit. There was no robbery. The clerk at the store *suspected* the bill was fake but didn't know for sure.
Load More Replies...“Many of my paintings have a recurring character. Just like movie characters have their roles to play, so does mine. Most importantly, she’s a human being, but because I am a woman and I understand women better because women have more restrictions than men in our society, I chose my character to be a woman. A woman with shut eyes and no mouth, sometimes with a damaged musical instrument which gives her power and confidence to talk and play. Her shut eyes represent that there is nothing good to see. She chooses to ignore everything so she could feel less sorrow,” the artist added, saying that her work is primarily focused on individuals and social issues, but at times they get political too.
“The character in my paintings sometimes plays different roles such as a combatant or a refugee with no future. At times, she searches for peace, and sometimes she has no identity whatsoever. She also gets lost in her dreams as well as the pain and sorrow, she struggles with the past and the future but is a patriot who loves her homeland and fights hopelessness.”
if all weapons were paper, we'd have to write, which means we'd have to think
This is my favorite. We must love and nurture our Earth and hear the cries of her peoples. Our world rests in our hands.
if you think about it it's more than sad, woman's can't listen to music and they won't be able to do things they used to like work on a fabric or drive a bike in the news people trow rocks on lady bc she was driving a bike,the man's want woman's to stay at home just cooking or just bc they think woman's don't have the direct to do things that man's do! The president is gone bc he wants , maybe he wants to see and start the end of the world? Let's all pray for these people pls, and hope that everything will be alright!
Note: this post originally had 89 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.
Sadly we won't see much more of this artist now that the Taliban have "liberated" Afghanistan. Or should I say now that the Afghan government handed over the country to some ruthless religious psychopaths who want to live in the dark middle ages? The Taliban are basically murdering misogynists playing a LARP intending to oppress women with a vengeance.
It is heartbreaking how religion causes so much pain and misery.
Load More Replies...She's very talented and her images are interesting and - although sad, frightening and tragic - aesthetically pleasing. I'm noticing the recurring dandelion imagery. I have my own guesses and interpretations, but I'm curious whether the dandelion flower has s specific intended meaning.
In the UK we call the dandelion in this stage Dandelion Clocks and blow on them. The number of puffs necessary is the time. You have to blow on them VERY hard if you know it's 1pm and not so much at noon!! If you blow to make a wish then some seeds remaining reflects good luck and it means different things at different stages. Yellow petals, the sun. Seeds, the moon. Blowing in wind the stars. It also is said to have perfect proportions and the symmetry equals something but I can't remember that one!
Load More Replies...Being in and from This region sometimes feel like having lost the life-matters lottery. Wars after wars just to compete over resources while beautiful humans suffer: Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, lebanon, Palestine,...continuous violence of drowning
I often ponder that - the countries that we are born in and the negative and positive impacts that has on people's lives. I'm in the UK and obviously that has good and bad points but I count myself as being exceptionally fortunate.
Load More Replies...Her face is known. Her name is known. In the name of all that's holy I hope she has gotten out of Afghanistan. Along with every last soul that will fit in the planes.
In the article it says "Luckily, Hassani is safe but to her disappointment and sadness, she has had to leave her country."
Load More Replies...I wish her safety and a good life. I also wish I could purchase some of her work, if anything to support her and because she makes beautiful artwork.
Woah, she should hop over the border to Pakistan and beautify our streets!
Panda power; you've done it again - opened my eyes and heart. She's so powerful as reflected in her art. THANX
They are soo meaninful and the artist is really talented. Amazing work.
This is so terrible. No one deserves to be treated like this.
One emotion seems to underscore the majority of her pieces and that is sorrow. No one should have to feel that way in their own land.
There are many countries in the world where people are dreaming of true democracy. There are countries in the world where people are desperately trying to get rid of ruthless, corrupt dictators. In the "best"country in the world, sadly, many "patriots" are using fascist and communist tactics to kill democracy and put in power the sick egomaniac and crook.
You know what's heartbreaking? Looking at photos of pre-Taliban Afghanistan, and pre-revolution Iran. Islamic fundamentalism turns EVERYTHING TO S**T. Also, US invasion of Afghanistan under BS pretences didn't help either. I wish the people of these countries peace, but I'm afraid it'll never happen.
Sadly both the examples you gave were perpetrated by groups sponsored by outside forces but you're right the world would be a better place without religion.
Load More Replies...Wow! The emotions she is creating are so powerful. I hope she stays safe.
Why don't these "people" disappear magically? Talking about the taliban of course! They offer nothing to the society and they live in the dark ages!! They have absolutely no place in today's society and should never have existed!!! I feel so terrible for all those people that are in danger and need to leave their country behind to those monsters
Please send that message to the US government who thought it would be fun to use religious extremism as a weapon of war.
Load More Replies...WOWOWOWOW!!! These are the most powerful art pieces I've seen in a long, long time. Heartbreaking, beautiful, tragic, empowering all at the same time. <333
someone get rid of that “religion” please. next up: women can’t go outside anymore
Oh my. This is so beautiful, touching and heartbreaking at the same time.
What a talented wonderful woman. I pray for her and her family and friends. I hope they can make it out and she can continue to use bless the world with her art.
Thanks to Biden things will get much much worse for her before anything gets better!
The withdrawal was poorly planned, however, do I sense an orange conservative "I do anything so he's the one-term president", Tres D??? Would his predecessor care about people of Afghanistan??
Load More Replies...So much sadness!! Imagine having to live that everyday. Very talented!!
What absolutely infuriates me is how little most of you know about what is going on with the Taliban, ISIS, etc., and the horrors that they inflict on people 24/7. You all act like this is news to you. That these monsters are nothing more than "activists." I have posted some of the horror stories and been down voted or called names as being a "racist" or "culturist" because I said "mean" things about these assholes.
As long as you are talking about the taliban and isis, and not attacking islam, then we won’t get mad. Each person can have their own thoughts, and J haven’t seen any of your comments, so J have no idea on whether you attack Islam or the Taliban.
Load More Replies...Religious law has NEVER EVER ended well anywhere. There's a reason we have a division of state and religion. Heartbreaking the games every country has played in Afghanistan to the detriment of the Afghan people. The lies, corruption.
And it should probably have been labelled Afghanistan's last female street artist
https://www.westernjournal.com/remember-trump-saved-americans-afghanistan-biden-said-no/ "Obviously, the Taliban couldn’t have been fully trusted not to renege on this deal, so “a small special-operations force would be stationed in the country to take direct action against any terrorist threats that arose.” Related: Kayleigh McEnany Blasts Biden: US Never Had 'Crisis After Crisis' Under Trump “We successfully executed this plan until Jan. 20, 2021. During this interval — when there were no US casualties in Afghanistan — President Ashraf Ghani and the Taliban conducted multiple rounds of negotiations, and al Qaeda was sidelined. The result was a successful drawdown of US forces in Afghanistan to 2,500, the lowest count since the dawn of the War on Terror,” Patel wrote.
Load More Replies...Sadly we won't see much more of this artist now that the Taliban have "liberated" Afghanistan. Or should I say now that the Afghan government handed over the country to some ruthless religious psychopaths who want to live in the dark middle ages? The Taliban are basically murdering misogynists playing a LARP intending to oppress women with a vengeance.
It is heartbreaking how religion causes so much pain and misery.
Load More Replies...She's very talented and her images are interesting and - although sad, frightening and tragic - aesthetically pleasing. I'm noticing the recurring dandelion imagery. I have my own guesses and interpretations, but I'm curious whether the dandelion flower has s specific intended meaning.
In the UK we call the dandelion in this stage Dandelion Clocks and blow on them. The number of puffs necessary is the time. You have to blow on them VERY hard if you know it's 1pm and not so much at noon!! If you blow to make a wish then some seeds remaining reflects good luck and it means different things at different stages. Yellow petals, the sun. Seeds, the moon. Blowing in wind the stars. It also is said to have perfect proportions and the symmetry equals something but I can't remember that one!
Load More Replies...Being in and from This region sometimes feel like having lost the life-matters lottery. Wars after wars just to compete over resources while beautiful humans suffer: Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, lebanon, Palestine,...continuous violence of drowning
I often ponder that - the countries that we are born in and the negative and positive impacts that has on people's lives. I'm in the UK and obviously that has good and bad points but I count myself as being exceptionally fortunate.
Load More Replies...Her face is known. Her name is known. In the name of all that's holy I hope she has gotten out of Afghanistan. Along with every last soul that will fit in the planes.
In the article it says "Luckily, Hassani is safe but to her disappointment and sadness, she has had to leave her country."
Load More Replies...I wish her safety and a good life. I also wish I could purchase some of her work, if anything to support her and because she makes beautiful artwork.
Woah, she should hop over the border to Pakistan and beautify our streets!
Panda power; you've done it again - opened my eyes and heart. She's so powerful as reflected in her art. THANX
They are soo meaninful and the artist is really talented. Amazing work.
This is so terrible. No one deserves to be treated like this.
One emotion seems to underscore the majority of her pieces and that is sorrow. No one should have to feel that way in their own land.
There are many countries in the world where people are dreaming of true democracy. There are countries in the world where people are desperately trying to get rid of ruthless, corrupt dictators. In the "best"country in the world, sadly, many "patriots" are using fascist and communist tactics to kill democracy and put in power the sick egomaniac and crook.
You know what's heartbreaking? Looking at photos of pre-Taliban Afghanistan, and pre-revolution Iran. Islamic fundamentalism turns EVERYTHING TO S**T. Also, US invasion of Afghanistan under BS pretences didn't help either. I wish the people of these countries peace, but I'm afraid it'll never happen.
Sadly both the examples you gave were perpetrated by groups sponsored by outside forces but you're right the world would be a better place without religion.
Load More Replies...Wow! The emotions she is creating are so powerful. I hope she stays safe.
Why don't these "people" disappear magically? Talking about the taliban of course! They offer nothing to the society and they live in the dark ages!! They have absolutely no place in today's society and should never have existed!!! I feel so terrible for all those people that are in danger and need to leave their country behind to those monsters
Please send that message to the US government who thought it would be fun to use religious extremism as a weapon of war.
Load More Replies...WOWOWOWOW!!! These are the most powerful art pieces I've seen in a long, long time. Heartbreaking, beautiful, tragic, empowering all at the same time. <333
someone get rid of that “religion” please. next up: women can’t go outside anymore
Oh my. This is so beautiful, touching and heartbreaking at the same time.
What a talented wonderful woman. I pray for her and her family and friends. I hope they can make it out and she can continue to use bless the world with her art.
Thanks to Biden things will get much much worse for her before anything gets better!
The withdrawal was poorly planned, however, do I sense an orange conservative "I do anything so he's the one-term president", Tres D??? Would his predecessor care about people of Afghanistan??
Load More Replies...So much sadness!! Imagine having to live that everyday. Very talented!!
What absolutely infuriates me is how little most of you know about what is going on with the Taliban, ISIS, etc., and the horrors that they inflict on people 24/7. You all act like this is news to you. That these monsters are nothing more than "activists." I have posted some of the horror stories and been down voted or called names as being a "racist" or "culturist" because I said "mean" things about these assholes.
As long as you are talking about the taliban and isis, and not attacking islam, then we won’t get mad. Each person can have their own thoughts, and J haven’t seen any of your comments, so J have no idea on whether you attack Islam or the Taliban.
Load More Replies...Religious law has NEVER EVER ended well anywhere. There's a reason we have a division of state and religion. Heartbreaking the games every country has played in Afghanistan to the detriment of the Afghan people. The lies, corruption.
And it should probably have been labelled Afghanistan's last female street artist
https://www.westernjournal.com/remember-trump-saved-americans-afghanistan-biden-said-no/ "Obviously, the Taliban couldn’t have been fully trusted not to renege on this deal, so “a small special-operations force would be stationed in the country to take direct action against any terrorist threats that arose.” Related: Kayleigh McEnany Blasts Biden: US Never Had 'Crisis After Crisis' Under Trump “We successfully executed this plan until Jan. 20, 2021. During this interval — when there were no US casualties in Afghanistan — President Ashraf Ghani and the Taliban conducted multiple rounds of negotiations, and al Qaeda was sidelined. The result was a successful drawdown of US forces in Afghanistan to 2,500, the lowest count since the dawn of the War on Terror,” Patel wrote.
Load More Replies...