Tuesday, January 31, 2012

EXHIBITIONS & ACTIVITIES

ABOUT

The Galleria has been a platform for many artists who exhibit their work. Also we welcome any fundraisers for a worthy cause at our space that has to do with arts and crafts of Afghanistan.


Rock Festival, Co-sponsor, French Cultural Institute, September 2012






















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the Galleria


is pleased to present

Women’s Bazaar
 

Wednesday March 7th, 2012

all day all women vendors
- Bactrian Gold & other jewelry [NEW]
- Woodwork [NEW]
- Clothing [NEW]
- House Décor & Lighting [NEW]
- Carpets & kilims
- Herat Glass
- Japanese Food



To honor International Women’s Day, we have invited women craftsmen, vendors and organizations to showcase their products and services at the Galleria in this one day event. The vendors are producers who themselves produce goods. They include Turkmen Women’s Active Rights Association (TWARA), Yousofzai Consultancy, Young Women For Change,  Rahyab Handcraft Association, Afghan Women’s Art Association and Massiha Design and Women Handcraft among others.



The Galleria: Kolola Poshta Street 5, House #253 Orange Doors

galleria.kabul@gmail.com

079.737.5859

galleria-kabul.blogspot.com/



facebook.com/pages/The-Galleria/120289601386888

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YOUNG WOMEN FOR CHANGE                 Feb 17-18, 2012


This Friday & Saturday [Feb 17 & 18], Young Women for Change is holding a fundraising exhibition and poster sale @ The Galleria, to realize the foundation of an internet cafe for women.

You are cordially invited to look at posters, photography and paintings relating to our mission of advocacy for women’s rights.  During the event we will screen YWC's poignant documentary on street harassment called This is My City Too, produced by Ms. Anita Haidary, a film student at Mt. Holyoke College, USA and Co-founder of YWC.  

Please come and watch the documentary, enjoy tasty snacks, look at amazing art and maybe even purchase art to bring further beauty and inspiration to your home or office! Please support a worthy cause and join the YWC team in taking measurable steps to empower women in Afghanistan.

Located in Kolola Poshta, The Galleria is one of the top independent and self-sustaining centers for arts & crafts in Afghanistan. Having the largest collection of fine arts, it is working with over a hundred artists and craftsmen and women from all over Afghanistan to provide access to the market and celebrate Afghan arts.

What: YWC's fundraising exhibition
When: Friday and Saturday, February 17&18; 2:00-5:00pm, Reception 3pm Friday
Where:  Galleria, House number 253, Street #5, Kolola Poshta, Kabul, Afghanista

Contact: 079.335.8677 or galleria.kabul@gmail.com

GALLERIA FACEBOOK PAGE
http://www.facebook.com/events/296510127069983/

JAPANESE RESTAURANT FACEBOOK PAGE
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Japanese-Restaurant-of-Kabul/219908014757021?ref=ts


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YOUNG WOMEN FOR CHANGE                                  Dec 29-30, 2011

On Thursday and Friday, December 29 and 30, Young Women for Change is holding an exhibition and poster sale to raise money for creating an internet cafe for women. We invite you to this event to listen to great Afghan music, enjoy tasty snacks, look at amazing art, and maybe even buy yourself some art to bring beauty and inspiration to your office or house! Come help with a great cause and join the YWC crew in celebrating our six-month existence!
In addition to our own posters on sale, the Galleria has generously offered to contribute 20% of what they sell during the exhibition to our cause! So, come, enjoy yourself and help empower afghan women!

To learn more about the internet cafe refer to this link:
http:// youngwomenforchange.org/ whats-new/ 3581-Internet-Cafe-for-Afgh an-Women

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THE ART OF RAASHED RAHMANI                               Oct 28, 2011

A talented artist, Raashed Rahmani hails from Herat. A master of realist art in Watercolor & Oil, Raashed depicts ordinary life in Afghanistan. He has come up with another exhibition after being in demand for stocking the walls of the Galleria as well as other galleries. Still a young artist, Raashed has taught himself most of what he draws. His unique perspective, his mastery in composition, his gift for proportion and a superior sense of color makes him the most sold artist of The Galleria. There are a few artists in Afghanistan who can match him. Known for his excellent watercolors, Raashed has a surprise for fans and critics.


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Celebrate Eid with The Galleria                                  Friday Sept 2, 2011 6pm

Free Food, Soft Drinks, Music

To celebrate the end of Ramadan, there are three days of festivities. On the last day, we would like to celebrate the conclusion of 30 days of fasting. We offer kabob, soft drinks and music - free! Because the expat community rarely gets a chance to be part of the Afghan culture, we want to invite you to join our family and be part of our celebration.

Please RSVP via facebook [facebook.com/pages/The-Galleria/120289601386888] so we know how many to expect.

See you at the celebration and Eid Mubarak [happy eid]

Galleria: fine dining, fine shopping, fine arts

Galleria Services:

  • Shuttle Service – to & from The Galleria only. $5 per location, free shuttle with $100 purchase
  • Discount Worldwide Shipment – we get $50% discount on DHL. Ask about other shipments
  • Garage Sale – sell your items at The Galleria
  • Dari Classes – learn to read, write and speak Dari with professional teacher
  • Calligraphy & Art Classes – learn to classic art of Islamic calligraphy or painting
  • Debit Cards Accepted - we accept limited debit cards
  • Catering/Meal Plans – we cater and have meal plans for small & large groups on daily basis

Street 5 Kolola Poshta, House #253, Kabul, Orange Doors 0786.60.1483,

galleria.kabul@gmail.com, Open 24/7 (except national holidays)

The Galleria will be closed on the first two days of Eid


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World Premiere Photo Exhibition

The Space Between Footsteps                                  August 7-9, 2011
World Through the Lens of JAVAID ZEERAK

A social entrepreneur, an avid traveler, a patriot and a prolific writer with an artistic eye, Javaid Zeerak won hearts through his natural charm and charisma. Most know him through his in-dept blogs [safrang & hamaisha], his social activities and his charming wits, but few know him as an artist. Throughout his travels at a very young age, aside from a deep love for knowledge and passion for adventure, Zeerak armed himself with his camera through which he captured moments in his life, passing through life and stopping to take it all in. While taking long strides and leaving distinct footprints, this exhibition is a look at the space between his footsteps.

Refreshments will be served.

From: Aug 7 - 9. starting 6:30 pm on Aug 7


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Masters of Modern Art                                                 Friday, May 27, 2011

Contemporary art is still in its infancy in Afghanistan. Traditional Realist artists such as Fazli have joined the ranks of contemporary artists. Master Miniaturist Abdul Naser Sawaby is another convert to contemporary art. Both men have acquired their masters degrees in modern art from abroad yet their work has a strong Afghan influence in both style and technique.


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Mud.ern Art                                                                       Jan 21, 2011

The Galleria is proud to exhibit the world première of Mud-ern, an exhibition of mud on paper, by the young, innovative & profoundly talented artist Akram. He has worked with watercolor and oil paint, creating some great pieces. However, Akram feels that paint has become an overrated medium, so he experimented with mud, after a friend commented on the low quality of Chinese oil paint tubes, saying it is better to paint with mud than with these paints. That comment sparked a thought in Akram’s mind and thus began a quest to use mud effectively as paint. After a year’s effort and constant experiments, he finally found the basic ingredients and methods to use natural elements to create over 40 amazing works of art. Aside from using a variety of mud, he uses lapis and other semi-precious stones to get the colors he needs.


Originally from Ghazni but studying until recently under the famous master artists of Herat, Akram came back to his native birthplace to exhibit his newly learned talent and innovation to the local crowd first - as a way to honor his city.However, his childhood Madrasa (religious seminary school) classmates, now Taliban commanders, found Akram’s idea of creating forms from mud not so original, citing scripture to argue that there was someone else who created a couple of works from mud and called them Adam and Eve. Moreover, these classmates did not have a sense of humor about this copy right infringement and called Akram to bring his pieces to them for‘approval’, one day prior to the world-première exhibition. Needless to say Akram left town before dusk, as his year’s effort of experimenting and 40 artworks followed in the next bus out of town the following day, wrapped in thick fabric inside a box - to avoid any association, if caught.


Fortunately for us all the pieces survived and would be on display at The Galleria on January 21, 2011, 2:00 PM reception. Far from playing God, Akram wants to challenge himself and others to create new works, new thoughts and new approaches. A former Madrasa student, Akram signed up for Herat University’s Department of Fine Arts as a joke to dare his friends who all failed to get into school of architecture. After a semester of goofing off at school, Akram did not find much to laugh about when his grades were posted. He then promised himself to be the best artist he could be. Taking private lessons from such artists as Raashed Rahmani and working day and night at his craft to become a top student at the university, so much so that when the Italian PRT (based in Herat) wanted to gift a painting of their top commander for himself as a Christmas present, the PRT contacted University of Fine Arts to draw the commander’s picture. The University in turn placed this diplomatically sensitive task at the capable hands of Akram. A recent graduate Akram settled in Kabul and is working independently.


Going back to basics and daring to challenge the establishment with his thoughts, ideas, innovations and approaches, Akram has all the right ingredients to be a great artist. He has chosen mud as his medium of choice for several reasons. Historically rich, mud is mentioned in scriptures & literature. Reflecting on today’s Afghanistan where concrete is king, Akram wants to go back to his roots to find the elements that binds us all.


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WOMEN FARMERS                                         Wednesdays Summer 2010

MEDA is a global economic development organization that engages 6,500 supporters from across Canada, the United States and Europe. Our supporters include business people and many others who identify with our mission, values and programs.


We firmly believe that unleashing entrepreneurship is the best way to alleviate poverty. We believe that we are called to live our faith values in our own work settings and to create sustainable solutions to poverty throughout the world.


MEDA affirms that all people are called to use their resources to help others, no matter where they work or what they do. We also affirm that business is a special calling from God — the creation of employment and beneficial products is part of God's work in the world. We invite people who share these values to join us in "connecting faith and work in a needy world."

MEDA engages its supporters through products and events such as:


MEDA supporters may choose to be voting members of MEDA. MEDA is incorporated as a non-profit association and its members of record form the core ownership of MEDA. The members present at the annual general meeting elect the Board of Directors and vote on all other matters presented. There are no financial benefits of MEDA membership.


MEDA members are expected to provide an annual contribution to MEDA, to support MEDA’s mission and values, to be involved with MEDA events, as possible, and to attend, if possible, the annual general meeting of MEDA during the Business as a Calling convention.

Our hope is that MEDA supporters will increase their engagement with MEDA. For some, that will include voting membership. For others, it will mean contributing to a MEDA project that catches their special interest. For still others it will mean getting involved with a local MEDA chapter, a MEDA convention or a MEDA tour.


In addition to the pressures of war, rural women in Afghanistan face stringent social and mobility restrictions confining them to their homes or compounds. Afghan women, living in a challenging social and political environment, face obstacles in earning a livelihood. By encouraging simple kitchen gardens, women are empowered to grow nutritious food for their families, contribute to their household’s income and gain the respect of their spouses and community. MEDA helps women in Parwan province in Afghanistan by giving them training in successful agricultural methods for their area. Each woman can also access microfinance loans, giving them the opportunity to purchase the seeds, tools and equipment necessary to launch a successful kitchen garden. As the garden begins to flourish, women can use the produce for their own families and sell the excess to families in the surrounding area.


As women increase their economic contribution, they receive more respect in the community and become true partners in their family structures.


Quick facts

Goal - To improve the livelihood of women and their families through enhanced kitchen garden crops and linkages to markets

Reaching - 2349 women and their families

Funding - Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA)

Project length - 2006-2011


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Women of Badghis                                                         August 2009

A group of women were brought by ACTED from Badghis Province to get training on design and color as well as marketing. Our female staff at The Galleria, gave them a half day training on their requested subjects. From carpets to kilims and other materials, and what the customers demand.


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Seven City Tour of Afghan Arts in Films, 2005, USA [New York, Virginia, Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles and San Francisco] & Canada [Toronto]

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Istanbul Bi-Annual sponsoring 4 artists [Tawfiq Rahmani, President of Faculty of Fine Arts at Herat University, Ghafaar Ghafoori, Co-Founder of Center for Visual Arts Herat, Rahraw Omarzad, President of Center for Contemporary Art Afghanistan (CCAA), Leeza Ahmady, Curator at Asia Foundation, New York City] 2005

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Building Cultural Bridges, sponsoring two artists [Yar Mohammad Taraki, Afghan-Canadian Master Artist & Samizai, independent Afghan-American Artist] to lecture and hold workshops at Kabul University, Herat University, Behzad High School of Herat, Center For Visual Arts in Herat and Turquoise Mountain in Kabul, 2007

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Establishing The Galleria and the largest private fine arts gallery in Afghanistan


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Afghanistan Art Exhibition, Agha Khan Foundation, Ottawa, Canada, 2011










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Art Santa Fe, Exhibition of World Art, July 2012

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Thursday, January 26, 2012

The Galleria in the Media

In-flight Magazine belonging to Safi Airways has just featured Mud Art of Akram, a resident artist of The Galleria, in the Nov/Dec 2011 issue [issue no. 11]. Text is at the bottom. For More info, please see Akram's page on this blog.

Nov/Dec 2011






THE NEW ART OF AFGHANISTAN  

When the term ‘Afghan art’ is mentioned, most think of either Tela Tapa’s Greco-Bactrian statuettes, Behzad’s classical miniatures, Steve McCurry’s Sharbat Gul, the National Geographic’s world renowned Afghan Girl or the infamous buzkashi randitions. The Classical Period or the Golden Age of Afghan art has long passed and while 1970’s saw a mini Renaissance of art, Afghanistan did not fully develop its own style of art.

However, things are about to change. A young Afghan artist may have created a form of art that Afghanistan can call its very own. It is both unique and profound. Going simply by his first name only, Akram has been painting with mud and other natural elements found in Afghanistan. Calling himself a mason, [Dari: gilkaar, literally: mud worker] he has been making wonderful pieces of work, by using mud on paper.

What is most unique about this fresh approach and new way of doing art is its originality and simplicity. Akram has worked with watercolor and oil paint, creating some great pieces. However, he felt that paint has become an overrated medium, so he experimented with mud, after a friend commented on the low quality of Chinese oil paint tubes, saying it is better to paint with mud than with these paints. That comment sparked a thought in Akram’s mind and thus began a quest to use mud effectively as paint. After a year’s effort and constant experiments, he finally found the basic ingredients and methods to use natural elements to create amazing works of art.  Aside from using a variety of mud, he uses brick, kohl, lapis and other semi-precious stones to get the colors he needs.

This young, innovative & profoundly talented artist is originally from Ghazni. He studied under the famous master artists of Herat, coming back last year to his native birthplace to exhibit his newly learned talent and innovation to the local crowd first - as a way to honor his city.  However, his childhood Madrasa (religious seminary school) classmates, now Taliban commanders, found Akram’s idea of creating forms from mud not so original, citing divine scripture to argue that there was someone else who created a couple of works from mud and called them Adam and Eve. Moreover, these classmates did not have a sense of humor about this copy right infringement and invited Akram to bring his pieces to them for ‘approval’, one day prior to the world-première exhibition. Needless to say Akram left town before dusk, as his year’s effort of experimenting and 40 artworks followed in the next bus out of town the following day, wrapped in thick fabric inside a box - to avoid any association, if caught.

Fortunately the artist and all his artwork survived. The following month, at his world exhibition at The Galleria, the largest private gallery in Afghanistan, Akram admitted that far from playing God, he wants to challenge himself and others to create new works, new thoughts and new approaches. A former Madrasa student, Akram signed up for Herat University’s Department of Fine Arts, the best art school in the country, as a dare to his friends who all could not get into the school of architecture.

After a semester of goofing off at school, Akram did not find much to laugh about when his grades were posted. He then promised himself to be the best artist he could be.  Taking private lessons from such artists as Raashed Rahmani and working day and night at his craft to become a top student at the university, so much so that when the Italian PRT (Provincial Reconstruction Team - based in Herat) wanted to gift a painting of their top commander for himself as a Christmas present, the PRT contacted Herat University’s Department of Fine Arts to draw the commander’s picture. The University, in turn, placed this diplomatically sensitive task at the capable hands of Akram. The top 2010 graduate of Department of Fine Arts at Herat University Akram works with The Galleria.

The three decade of war has breathe new life and fresh thinking to art. The availability of internet and the new market for art has created a need for re-evaluation of one’s work and the purpose to be better.     Going back to basics and daring to challenge the establishment with his thoughts, ideas, innovations and approaches, Akram has all the right ingredients to be a great artist. He has chosen mud as his medium of choice for several reasons. Historically rich, mud is mentioned in scriptures & literature. Reflecting on today’s Afghanistan where concrete is king, Akram wants to go back to his roots to find the elements that binds us all.