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Updated October 1st, 2021 at 09:13 IST

Afghan artists conceal artwork, books fearing Taliban crackdown; demand freedom to express

Afghan artists are now burying their artwork to thwart the seizure or disposal of their hard work and/or severe punishments for their paintings.

Reported by: Dipaneeta Das
Afghans
IMAGE: AP/Unsplash (representative) | Image:self
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Remembering the draconian implication of Islamic Law during the 1991 regime, Afghans are now living under constant fear of Taliban crackdown on arts and culture. Besides the protests carried out on streets in demand of rudimentary human rights, Afghan artists are now burying their artwork to thwart seizure or disposal of their hardwork. The recently observed move clearly depicts the Afghan people's understanding of the militant outfit's opposition to westernised ideas.

According to Washington Post, modern artists in Kabul are afraid of pursuing a career in contemporary artform since it requires painting or sculpting women figures or depicting women in one way or another. According to Washington Post, at least 15 artists buried their sketches, a well-known filmmaker concealed reels of about 20 films and several others like her hid their artistic belongings ahead of fleeing from the war-torn country. Meanwhile, those who remained now endure repression under the Taliban rule.

On such is an ageing bookseller on a sidewalk shop, who had to hide away every book he knew the Taliban considered opposing their ideology. The books included Pashto and Dari translations of two Bibles. "The Taliban fighters find this, they will punish me," ANI reported quoting the bookstore owner as told to The Washington Post. Within six weeks into the resurgence, thus, continued the cultural and humanitarian unravelling of Afghanistan.

Afghan artists demand freedom of expression

The artists in Afghanistan lived the past 20 years in a cosmopolitan environment developed by the presence of Western nations in Kabul and other provinces. The new generation artists were influenced by contemporary art as much as they were by Afghanistan's historical and cultural traditions. Western music, women's rights and West-influenced artforms cultivated under the democratic government.

However, the reinstatement of the Taliban rule has reignited fear of the detrimental outcome of precarious artform and relics. "The kind of art that you believe has value means artist should be free to express their own thoughts, not on the dictatorship or censorship," Filmmaker Sahraa Karimi told The Washington Post. "2030 will not easily be able to work as quickly as they used to," she added.

Afghans were promised a better life than what they lived during the 1996-2001 Taliban rule. With a manifold increase in violence and violations, the moderate picture of the fundamentalist group presented by Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid in the initial days of capturing Kabul, now only seems to be a promotional blitz.

With inputs from ANI

Image: AP/ Unsplash (representative)

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Published October 1st, 2021 at 09:13 IST

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