Indicative of the cultural unity displayed by women in Iran and Afghanistan, a one week art exhibition in the Iranian capital of Tehran is being staged by female artists of Iran and Afghanistan who are showcasing their art in a show of unity on shared heritage and creative identity. The exhibition which will last until July 30 is being held at the Diplomatic Conference Hall of the ECO Cultural Institute and has a curated selection of calligraphy and paintings by 24 women artists.
According to Tehran Times, the exhibition titled “Voices in Color” serves as a platform for dialogue and artistic expression, with women from both countries contributing pieces that reflect themes such as identity, tradition, and resilience. Both works of art are the way of interpretation of individual and social stories which are formed by the history of the region, social issues, and pursuit of peace.
On Thursday, the opening of the event took place in the presence of dignitaries of the literary and cultural worlds of Iran and Afghanistan as well as other member states of the ECO. Some of the prominent reciters included Afghani poet and academic, Professor Seyyed Zia Qasemi, who both recited verses that alluded to cultural memory and hope, and the Iranian poet Fahimeh Dehghan.
The international diplomatic circles in the region were also interested in the opening ceremony. Asad Majeed Khan Secretary-General of Economic Cooperation Organization(ECO) underlines the significance of soft diplomacy, cultural dialogue. He emphasised the fact that the projects of this sort are not just a display of creativity but a method of engendering permanent regional cooperation.
President of the ECO Cultural Institute, Saad Khan, made some statements, speaking on the significance of having women recognized for the contributions they make in the development of narratives of unity. According to him, “there is no political boundary of art,” and, admiring the role of female artists in achieving better mutual understanding within the ECO region, said that, “art selects no gender.”
The lecture was by Iranian historian and cultural analyst Jafar Shiralinia, and it dwelt on both the past and present of the role of women in the Persian and Afghan cultural life. As he was quick to note, women in both nations have been contributing to their artistic traditions since time immemorial; however, exhibitions of this nature present the belated acknowledgment to them.
The artists who took part, most of them being members of the Qalam Moo organization, shared their work which were done out of languages, motifs and history similarities among them. Their works represent both classic figures and contemporary trends but also a very personal subject matter like migration and memory as well as womanhood.
The viewer of the exhibition will be able to see a wide palette, starting with classical Persian calligraphy that has been interpreted using modern styles all the way to abstract paintings based on the color palette and symbolic forms used in Afghanistan. These productions establish a story of living together and family ties, one of the two values that the event is about.
Iran used to offer a refuge to Afghanistan intellectuals and artists who want to have the freedom of expression. The spiritual and language heritage has allowed several Afghanistan artists to receive inspirations as well as the audience in Iran. This has been a strong bond that has promoted creative co-existence between the two countries dating since many decades ago.
The outstanding feature of the exhibition is its time and tone. In a time when both nations struggle with socio-political issues, the cross-border assemblage of the creative in a bid to make statements of solidarity through art offers something that can be seen as a counter-argument in that there must be unity over the definitions of separation.
The work will be on view at The ECO Cultural Institute on Movahed Danesh Street, Tehran and will be open to the general public between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. each and every day. People are welcome to interact with the visions of the artists about common suffering and hopes, and contemplate about the force of art as the means of protest and peace.
Through such cultural events, the warm touch of people reminds the general population and those in the policy-making positions that international relations also can be built out of the unity of people there are on its borders, with their brush strokes, calligraphy lines, and poet verse that negates diplomacy.
