Sahra Wahedi, Contributing Photographer

“Afghan Women’s Narratives through Art: Exploring Themes of Identity & Home” is on display at the Wilson Branch of the New Haven Free Public Library. The multimedia exhibition contains works from twenty Afghan refugee and immigrant women. 

The exhibit features artwork from two initiatives organized by the Collective for Refugee and Immigrant Women’s Wellbeing, or CRIW. This project supports Afghan women in expressing themselves through photography and hand-sewn “story cloths.” 

Photovoice project: a simple yet powerful message

The “Photovoice” project, the first part of the exhibit, features a series of photographs taken by women from rural Afghanistan who currently live in New Haven. The images reflect themes of identity, belonging and home. 

The photos are accompanied by captions, which are excerpts from the women’s interviews conducted in Pashto and translated into English. 

Many photographs explore the process of creating a sense of home in a new country, far from one’s homeland. The photograph above, taken by an Afghan woman under the pseudonym Razia, shows her 1-year-old daughter. 

In a caption beneath the photograph, Razia explains that it was important for her to make their home in the U.S. feel like their home in Afghanistan. 

“This is my daughter,” the caption reads. “She is 12 months old. I just gave her a bath and put her in nice clothes. She is showing off that she can stand up!” 

Another, taken by a woman under the pseudonym Sahra, reflects a deep sense of cultural pride. Afghanistan’s red, green and black flag, which is banned by the Taliban regime, hangs on the walls of her living room and reminds her and her kids of their origins. 

Her Afghan roots are also displayed by the room decor captured in the photograph. The pillows and other decorations seen in the photographs are handmade by Sahra. 

The exhibit also offers glimpses into the women’s rich cultural traditions. One photograph features a plate full of naan. The caption below reads: “This is traditional bread, which my mom taught me how to make. I think of my mom in Afghanistan whenever I make this bread.” 

Other photos in this exhibit highlight henna designs, homemade food spreads and decorative clothing.

Faith is another central theme. One photograph captures a child reading the Quran. Beneath, the caption explains the artist’s joy in sharing religion with her children. “I was afraid that by coming to the U.S., our children would not learn about our religion, but they are learning, and that makes me feel happy and proud,” reads the caption.

In Razia’s second photograph, her 15-year-old daughter stands next to a pile of books. The image speaks to the Taliban’s outlawing of education for Afghan girls and women, according to the caption. 

Rachele Pierro, co-founder of CRIW and one of the organizers of the “Photovoice” project, explained the choice of photography as a medium. Due to Taliban restrictions, many of the women involved in the project were unable to attend any school and cannot read or write. 

“Photography is very immediate — you don’t need any filters or much training to make art in this way,” said Pierro. 

CRIW’s co-founders, Hossna Samadi, Donna Golden and Pierro, began the project by visiting a local park popular among New Haven’s Afghan community. There, they found many women who expressed interest in joining. 

The participating artists eventually gathered in discussion groups to guide the project and attended a workshop on photography and symbolism led by local artist Odette Chavez Mayo. Pierro noted that instead of focusing on challenges or hardships — of which there are many — the women decided that they wanted the project to highlight their identity. 

“They said, ‘We want everybody here to know who we are.’ It was a powerful message,” recalled Pierro. 

Storycloths project: landscapes and family dinners sewn into memory

In addition to “Photovoice,” the library hosted the “Storycloths” art initiative, led by local Afghan-Canadian artist Hangama Amiri ART ’20. “Storycloths” explores similar themes seen in the “Photovoice” project, but takes on these stories through sewing and patchwork. 

For Amiri, a refugee herself, this artistic endeavor was deeply emotional. Many of the participating women had only recently arrived in the U.S., said Amiri, which meant that the experience of losing their home was “still very fresh.” 

“In some conversations during the workshop, many participants cried. It was very emotional for me as well, as I am also a refugee. It was striking to hear the women’s memories and their core understanding of what it means for them to live in this country.” 

The women created hand-sewn representations of Afghan landscapes, family figures and memories of things they no longer have — such as trees from their homeland or family dinners from years ago. 

Amiri explained that many of the women had never drawn before but excelled at hand-sewing. 

“I think the concept of home might sound very simple or straightforward, but the meaning that comes from it can be very heavy sometimes,” Amiri reflected. “It really depends on who you are talking to.” 

The “Storycloths” project can be viewed here.

A growing partnership

The partnership between CRIW and the Wilson Branch Library began in 2021 when CRIW, in collaboration with Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health, or PRCH, initiated a women’s leadership group at the library. This project stemmed from a desire to support Afghan families following the fall of Kabul, the country’s capital, to the Taliban in August 2021. 

Upon their arrival, many Afghan families settled in the Hill neighborhood of New Haven. 

As the leadership group developed, it became clear that access to English language classes was a priority. 

“Many programs were not meeting the needs of this population due to barriers like transportation and childcare,” said Pierro. In response, CRIW, Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services, Havenly and New Haven Adult Education partnered to create a women-only English as a Second Language class, which provides childcare services, all within walking distance of where many of the families live. 

According to Meghan Currey, the Wilson Library Branch Manager, the art exhibit drew in many families and community members for a “sharing of cultures.” The exhibit’s opening event included translators, food and local immigration focused nonprofits. 

In addition to offering a space for cultural sharing, Amiri said that the exhibit gave these women a platform to speak. 

“I think about this kind of work as being about creating space for unheard voices to speak, and to share their side of the stories,” said Amiri. “I feel that there’s kind of a concept of silence that is happening in our society right now, and so this is about more than just art; it’s about making room for these women’s experiences in the world.” 

The exhibit is on display at the Wilson Branch of the New Haven Free Public Library until Dec. 4.