From Hobby to Haven
Zahra’s artistic revolution in Taliban-controlled Afghanistan allows female artists to develop their careers
It takes weeks, sometimes months, to complete each piece of art, but Zahra* doesn’t mind hard work. Since the Taliban seized power and imposed rigid restrictions on Afghan women, art has become her escape. “When I work, it makes me calm. I feel free,” the 23-year-old says.
She was in her fourth year at university when the ban on female education forced her to abandon her degree in law and political sciences. Back then, art was a hobby she did in her spare time. Stuck at home with nothing to do, she wondered whether art could be a way for women to work and earn, even under the harsh restrictions of the Taliban regime.
So, she applied for an Innovation Hub grant and launched the Naiko Artistic Cultural Institution five months ago, a space to teach, showcase, and support the work of female artists in Afghanistan. “A lot of our members were art students when the ban came in, but I can confidently say we are better than any art university,” she says.
Located in Herat Citadel, a popular site for the trickle of tourists returning to Afghanistan, she has already secured overseas clients from Spain, England, Canada, Brazil, and Switzerland. “Our work is a little expensive for local people, so we have started making small pieces that people use in daily life, like coffee cups and tissue boxes,” she says.
Their pieces focus mostly on traditional Afghan arts, including calligraphy, painting, illuminating, and—Zahra’s favorite—gilding. Done with a tiny brush, it requires a steady hand and lots of patience to produce these intricate designs, which have proved popular with visitors to Afghanistan. “You won’t find this art elsewhere; we have this knowledge within us. It is unique to Afghanistan,” she says.
Materials are expensive and often unavailable locally, which has proved a challenge. Zahra has to order from Iran, Pakistan, or India, which adds to the cost. With 23 artists on their books, this is partly what she has spent the Innovation Hub grant on. “Without this help, I couldn’t have started. It really inspired me. It’s the main reason we’re here,” she says.
She hopes to expand and support more female artists in a dedicated space that combines a guesthouse, art gallery, café, and studios. She has a site in mind—a rambling historic home in the heart of Herat. The rent is $100 a month, but with other costs absorbing her budget, that is still out of reach.
For now, she is focused on sustaining the institution and supporting its growing roster of artists. “I don’t just work for me; I work for women who are banned from everything. This is the only way they can earn and create,” she says.
As a female-only organization, Taliban officials mostly leave them alone. On the one occasion the artists were questioned, they showed them their calligraphy pieces based on religious texts. “It’s all women in here, so they don’t want to come in,” Zahra explains.
For the artists inside, who work from 6am to 7pm daily, it’s a chance to cultivate their talents and develop a career. Even more than that, it’s a way to feel like themselves again after the momentous change of recent years. “When we make art, we feel totally free—we can draw everything that we want to say but are not allowed,” says Zahra. “One of the most important things for women is to be independent. Art helps them to be free and improve their lives.”
This article was written by Olivia Cuthbert. *Ideas Beyond Borders uses pseudonyms to protect the identity of our partners in Afghanistan.