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AFGHAN ART
The aim of Afghan Communicator’s efforts in the arts is to not only enhance the skills of art organizations and institutions, but also to donate meaningful and practical supplies and equipment so that these groups can be sustainable. Working with institutions that are already functioning, guarantees the sustainability of the group and attests to their dedication to their profession. It also minimizes the cost of setting up space, purchase of supplies, and teaching them basic organizational know-how. Furthermore, working with groups enhances their skills to reach out to more people then what we can do in one trip. Because groups are a center for different artists, many more people will benefit from our help then if we work with individuals. We work both with governmental institutions, such as schools and colleges and independent art organizations, to ensure equal distribution of skills and equipment across the board.
As we all know Afghanistan has been ravaged by three decades of war and as a result, much of its physical heritage is either completely destroyed or fallen in severe disrepair. More importantly, the demand for art severely diminished, thus many Afghan artists have changed professions and fewer apprentices want to carry the torch of art in Afghanistan. While the war destroyed the small but growing Afghan art rebirth in 1970’s, the Taliban dealt the last blow by declaring art not only a crime (against the state) but a also a sin (against God). Only a handful of artists, chancing their lives, kept practicing the ancient traditions passed down to them. Consequently art lost all connections with everyday life. Traditionally skills were passed down from father to son and from master to apprentice. War killed or mimed many people and made others internally displaced or refugees outside Afghanistan. The trauma and psychological effects of war and wandering country to country notwithstanding, there are only a few masters remaining and even fewer still successfully practice their craft.
As an Afghan art & culture organization established in 1997, Afghan Communicator is attempting to revive and enhance Afghan art. We are working to lay the foundation of an Afghan art institution. Working with Afghan artists and art organizations, we are building their capacity, encouraging the creation of independent art organizations and collectives, exchanging expertise between Afghanistan and abroad, research and cataloging Afghan artists and art, exploring markets for Afghan art in Afghanistan and abroad, promoting Afghan art through exhibitions, encouraging dialogue between artists and craftsmen, creating forums for artists to express their vision and needs, educating people inside and outside Afghanistan about Afghan art and establishing art as a respectable and profitable profession.
Afghanistan has made significant contributions to world heritage. Thus, as both a national and international treasure, it becomes a duty for all of us to safeguard its cultural heritage. In light of little world attention being paid to Afghan culture, Afghan Communicator's commitment to the arts has intensified in the recent years. Cultivating invaluable connections with Afghan art institutions and artists, we are aiming to preserve Afghan culture.
Currently, we are working with the Faculty of Fine Arts of Herat & Kabul Universities as well as the Herat-based Center for Visual Arts (CVA) and the Kabul-based Center for Contemporary Art Afghanistan (CCAA), to build their capacity through skill building workshops, provide necessary tools for their progress, help support artists by selling their work abroad and to create a market for Afghan art in North America.
Practically speaking, in order for the Afghan art to regain its significance, it must be a part of the reconstruction and healing process in Afghanistan, physically, emotionally and economically. Afghan Communicator works with men, women and children on various levels to build a foundation and support system for the arts. Our aim is to establish arts and crafts of Afghanistan as a viable economic industry and cultural institution, much like the Afghan carpet industry, with deep cultural roots so that not only its existence is never threatened again, but it is relied upon as a job creating institution. Thus connecting art to life.
In an effort to jumpstart the promotion of Afghan art, in April to June 2005, Afghan Communicator initiated the first ever Afghan Art & Film Festival in seven cities of North America. In September of the same year, Afghan Communicator took 3 artists from Afghanistan to International Biennial in Istanbul (Turkey). For the past three years, Afghan Communicator has established contact with Afghan artists in Afghanistan and around the world, promoting Afghan art and supporting artists by selling their work. We have exhibited Art for educational and marketing purposes in over ten cities in the US, as well as Canada. Some exhibition spaces include The National Geographic Headquarters in Washington DC (All Roads Market), Empire State Building in New York City, Embassy of Afghanistan in Washington DC, and many colleges and organizations. In May 2007, Afghan Communicator will take two Afghan artists to Afghanistan to raise the skills of Afghan art organizations in Afghanistan. Aside from conducting workshops, AC will donate digital cameras, lap tops and other supplies and machines so that the organizations are stronger and self-sufficient.
For detailed information about our initiatives and efforts, please see our accomplishments page.
FEATURED ARTISTS
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Tawfiq Rahmani
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Tawfiq Rahmani, 35, is a master miniaturist of the classical Behzad School of Herat. Although Mr. Rahmani creates many styles of medieval and contemporary Islamic and European artwork, his mastery is in classical Timurid miniature painting. His use and conceptualization of color is almost unmatched in Afghanistan. He paints classical items but adds contemporary ideas to his otherwise traditional miniatures. He is the President of the Faculty of Fine Arts at Herat University. Mr. Rahmani is a master miniaturist and had studied under the renowned master Mohammad Sayyed Mashal of Herat. Mr. Rahmani is one of the three Afghan artists sponsored by Afghan Communicator to attend the Istanbul International Biennial Art Exhibition in 2005.
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Ghafaar Ghafoori
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Ghafaar Ghafoori, 25, is a 2002 graduate of the Fine Arts Department of Herat University. He is also a founding member of the Center for Visual Arts, which is an independent art organization representing young artists in Herat, promoting art, supporting artists and raising the standard of art. Mr. Ghafoori travels to and from Iran to keep updated in art field, as well as to introduce Afghan art to its western neighbor. He also has built solid connections with local art stores in Herat, advising them on products to import, thereby building their capacity and their knowledge, while making access to art supplies easier for artists and students. Along with Ms. Mahbuba Jamshidi, he put together the Center for Visual Arts (CVA), where he teaches 25-30 students. Ghafoori's works are widely sold within Afghanistan and the US, where he is making a name for himself as an artist, especially with his pencil work. He was one of the three Afghan artists led by Afghan Communicator to the Istanbul Biennial in 2005.
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Yar Taraky
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Mr. Yar Mohammad Taraky is a professional artist. He started his journey into the visual arts more than 20 years ago. Mr. Taraky resides in Canada where he is President of Toronto’s Immigrant Cultural Art Association. Yar began art lessons with renowned Afghan artist Ustad Khair Mohammad. Later on in 1975 he attended the Art school of the Ministry of Culture of Afghanistan. Mr. Taraky has organized 10 personal exhibitions in Afghanistan, Europe and Canada. He also participated in more than 10 group exhibitions and shows. Yar M. Taraky graduated in 1994 from Uzbekistan Fine Arts Academy. His works have been displayed all over the world and are the most sold of any Afghan artist. His recent projects focus on Afghan music and dance, representing different Afghan traditions, musical instruments and dances.
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Fatana Arifi
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Fatana Arifi recently received membership into the Afghanistan National Council of the Arts, and some of her works have been selected for display in the National Art Gallery of Kabul and at the Gallery of the Department of Fine Arts, Kabul University. She has taught painting and water color classes at universities in Afghanistan and Pakistan, where she spent time as a refugee. During that time, Fatana struggled to preserve art and culture by establishing the Fine Arts Center in Pakistan. She has received many assignments from many international organizations and individual sources, including the United Nations. Fatana works with a variety of media and is the inventor of her own private technique, Handanism, which was established by the artist in the mid 80s. Her biographical feature is published in the 24th edition of who’s who of American women 2004-2005. She has been represented by Gallery West Artists in Virginia, where she currently is residing and teaching art at an art center.
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Rahraw Omarzad |
Rahraw Omarzad, 43, is interested in art and art mediation seen from different view points. This he treats in his magazine, founded in the year 2000. He acquired a Bachelor in Fine Arts from Kabul University in 1985, where he subsequently began to teach. In 2000, Omarzad founded Afghanistan's first and only independent art magazine, Gah Nama-e Hunar (Occassional Art Papers on Art). Following the bloody Civil, War Omarzad left Afghanistan in 1993 for Peshawar, Pakistan, where, he also contributed to magazines and taught at an art school. Omarzad sees a particular responsibility in a reactivation of a collective cultural memory with lost knowledge on the artistic tradition of Afghanistan and other parts of the world. Founder of Center for Contemporary Art Afghanistan (CCAA), Afghanistan's only modern art organization, he has travelled extensively to Euruope, Asia and the US. Omarzad is one of the three Afghan artists sponsored by Afghan Communicator to attend the Istanbul International Biennial Art Exhibition in 2005.
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