Artist uses paintings to give Afghan women a voice

By Eleni Poulios

Masuma Anwari is an artist from Afghanistan whose painting used to hang in the national gallery of the country’s capital, Kabul. 

However, in 2021, when the Taliban regained power, she was forced to abandon her home and flee to the UK with her husband and son.

She now lives in the West Midlands and is seeing her new life as a brand-new chance instead of a setback. 

“I may have lost my home, but I have not lost my identity,” she said. “Sometimes I imagine if I were still in Afghanistan and unable to draw or paint, my heart would be silent.”

Art gives Afghan women a voice

Mrs Anwari says she is hoping to give Afghan women, who still have to live under the regime of the Taliban, a voice using her art as the means to do so.

Her passion and her story let her and her work be commissioned. Her art has now been displayed at a gallery in Lichfield, Staffordshire.

When she recalls life back home, she has fond memories of her youth as well as of her adult life when she worked as a school ambassador for the British consulate.

However, when the Taliban took over again, everything changed quickly.

“I still remember the gunfire sounds and explosions,” she says and added: “My son and I are still sensitive to loud sounds because a strong explosion was not far from us.”

From the moment they regained power, the Taliban have constantly implemented rules and laws that demonstrated their very strict and conservative view of Islamic law.

For instance, girls older than 12 are no longer allowed to get an education and many women are banned from having jobs.

According to the Taliban, girls will be allowed to return to schools once their concerns regarding the curriculum are resolved – no steps have been taken to make that happen, however.

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Hope for a ‘better future’

“Life for women has completely changed,” said Masuma Anwari. “But they still keep their hope alive for a better future.

“I wish one day they will experience freedom and security. My painting is not just a hobby.

“They can’t express themselves due to the restrictions, but I want to reflect the Afghan women’s silent voice with my painting.”

Currently, seven of Mrs Anwari’s art pieces are displayed at Courtyard Fine Art Lounge in Lichfield.

Moreover, she was asked to create a piece for a shared working space which opened earlier this year.

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