Mass migration of artists under Taliban hampered artistic growth in Afghanistan
Aug 28, 2023
Kabul [Afghanistan], August 28 : It has been two years since the Taliban took control of Afghanistan and the mass migration of artists in the country since then, has hampered the artistic growth of the country, especially women, reported Khaama Press.
The Taliban's return to power had a significant impact on all seven kinds of art and drove many artists out of Afghanistan.
The Afghan art scene has suffered an irreparable hit as a result of the widespread emigration of artists. Professors and professionals in the arts, especially those who specialise in painting, have left the nation, but other painters who haven't had the chance to leave are still working in secret, Khaama Press reported.
The Taliban's obvious hostility to the arts has deterred artists from continuing their work.
Samira Gohari, a painter who specialises in realism, told Khaama Press News Agency that the interim government's takeover has made her less motivated to engage in this industry.
In recent decades, Afghanistan has seen a relative increase in all seven art disciplines. Like other areas of the arts, painting has drawn interest and its own fan base. Overall, the emergence of the Taliban had a profound impact on art, including painting, isolating artists, especially female painters.
The music department was eliminated from Kabul University's College of Fine Arts during the establishment of the Taliban’s interim administration, and what is now known as the "Islamic Emirate" has taken over with its ideology of "composition and song, reported Khaama Press.
Moreover, other art forms have also been heavily suppressed in the past two years.
The organisation reintroduced a strict ban on girls attending secondary schools after seizing control in August 2021. The depressing trend continued in December 2022, when limitations were expanded to include women and girls, prohibiting them from attending universities and from working for non-governmental organisations and assistance organisations, Khaama Press reported.
The Taliban continues to impose further restrictions on women's rights despite significant international pressure and pleas from human rights organisations and aid organisations.
They now forbid women from entering theme parks, travelling alone without a male companion, and even using public restrooms.
