News

Afghan cartoonist, now a refugee, sheds light on plight of women | News

When the Taliban returned to power in August 2021, thousands of Afghans fled the country fearing restricted freedoms. Cartoonist Sayed Muhammad Hussainy is one of them.

The 29-year-old artist, who has now taken refuge in Germany, said he feared the Taliban would target him because of his work with the previously Western-backed government of President Ashraf Ghani.

His sketches depict confident, colorful women who play important roles in society: athletes, doctors, teachers, engineers and officers.

But Afghanistan’s new rulers do not seem to see women from these lenses. Instead, they have gradually pushed Afghan women out of public roles in society and prevented them from accessing education.

The group says the repression lies within its interpretation of Islamic law, even though it is the only Muslim country that forbids women from pursuing education. Most Muslim-majority countries have criticized the Taliban for imposing restraints on women.

Before the Taliban took over, Sayed’s artwork displayed Disney-like qualities, with imaginative characters with bright smiles and wide eyes. He will portray women with hope and a confident sense of purpose, often wearing the red, green and black colors of the Afghan flag adopted under the previous Western-backed government. this. The Taliban adopted a new flag.

Now Sayed’s striking and unrepentant art has become bogged down with mute faces looking back at the viewer as chaos swirls around them, depicted with torrential downpours or men. threatens to engulf the whole of space.

Sayed said: “You can see the difference between my art before and after the Taliban took over. “Like day and night.”

In one of the sketches shared last April on his Instagram with more than 18,000 followers, several men surrounded a woman. With weapons in hand, they forcefully placed a veil over her. Their deep tones contrast sharply with the woman’s bright colors and shades. She is sad, but she grips her books very strongly and unwaveringly.

Sayed, who painted the picture from an undisclosed location in Afghanistan, knows full well that his life could be put at risk because of his actions, knowing that his blunt images can put viewers at risk. uncomfortable. But he says his mission is to help strengthen the voices of those fighting for women’s rights and educational freedom in Afghanistan.

Afghan cartoonist uses talent to amplify women's plight at home
[Courtesy: Sayed Muhammad Hussainy]

The art also reflects Sayed’s inner struggle to make sense of the realities of what the people of Afghanistan are going through today, including increasing levels of poverty and food insecurity.

“I feel the pain and vulnerability of my country and I try to express those feelings in my art,” he said.

Despite the sense of despair that pervades Sayed’s painting, he says the women of Afghanistan are heroines of unyielding strength and endurance.

“I want to amplify the voices of Afghan women, I want to show the truth about what’s happening to women in my country,” Sayed said.

Traveling around Afghanistan to follow my passion

Sayed explored art in his youth as an outlet to silence the buzz around him about everyday violence and the discovery that friends and family were affected. More than 240,000 people have killed during 20 years of war and occupation led by the United States. The Taliban, which leads an armed insurgency, is also said to have targeted civilians.

“It’s hard being a kid in Afghanistan,” Sayed said. “You don’t have the same rights and freedoms as other children around the world.”

What started out as a hobby quickly turned into a passion that took up most of his day. He left his hometown of Sar-e Pul in northern Afghanistan to study a digital art course in neighboring Balkh province in 2014.

However, his craving went beyond the course, he often looked at the drawings of famous cartoonists like Clay Mann to study dynamic poses. YouTube tutorials from digital artists like Ross Tran and Sam Yang also help Sayed hone his skills when it comes to coloring techniques.

After completing the course, Sayed traveled to the capital, Kabul, where his art attracted the attention of government ministries.

The night of the fall of Kabul

Sayed’s first digital poster was commissioned by the Presidential Office’s Press Directorate in 2019 as part of a campaign to denounce violence against women in Afghanistan.

As Sayed has more assignments, presenting Afghan women in positions of confidence with confidence, the Taliban are moving towards Kabul.

Sayed vividly remembers the night the Taliban took over the Presidential Palace, when he was working in the vicinity.

Afghan cartoonist uses talent to amplify women's plight at home
[Courtesy: Sayed Muhammad Hussainy]

Sayed said: “It was horrible, when I came out of the presidential compound, everyone was running and screaming, it was like a horror movie.” “Like zombies have come to the city.”

With gunfire and chaos all around, Sayed escaped the scene. It took him four hours to get home that night.

Days later, Sayed’s family moved locations while he deleted personal photos from his social media accounts.

A friend held by the Taliban told Sayed that they had seen his artwork on his phone and asked who painted the pictures. Having worked closely with the government, Sayed believed he would be a target for the Taliban.

Sayed said: “I went into hiding, I cried for three weeks every day. “I can’t believe what has happened to my country.”

Sayed had been trying to leave Afghanistan for more than a year for fear of retaliation by the Taliban, even desperately contacting his traffickers offering to bring him into Iran without a visa. He finally made it into neighboring Pakistan last September from where he came to Germany.

Innovating the purpose of art

Since arriving in Berlin, Germany five months ago as a refugee, Sayed said he spends about four hours a day maintaining an online dialogue about women’s rights in Afghanistan. He usually posts using the hashtags # #LetAfghanGirlslearning or #DontforgetAfghanistan.

Sayed said: “In the past, I used to paint to attract the attention of people living outside of Afghanistan. “Now, I also paint to give hope to Afghans.”

Although Sayed says his mind is calmer these days as he adjusts to his new surroundings, he stays up at night thinking about friends and family still in Afghanistan.

“In Afghanistan, under the current government, it’s normal for women to beg in the streets late at night, but it’s not allowed for women to go to school or university,” Sayed said.

“This fact shocked me so much. I cannot keep silent.”



Source by [author_name]

news7h

News7h: Update the world's latest breaking news online of the day, breaking news, politics, society today, international mainstream news .Updated news 24/7: Entertainment, Sports...at the World everyday world. Hot news, images, video clips that are updated quickly and reliably

Related Articles

Back to top button