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An Afghan Artist Fears For The Future Of His Craft With The Taliban In Control
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Artist Omaid Sharifi is unsure if he'll be able to continue painting murals on the streets of Kabul following the Taliban's takeover. During pervious Taliban rule, art was discouraged.
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DON GONYEA, HOST:
And finally today, the rapidly deteriorating situation in Kabul has residents of the Afghan capital wondering what happens next now that Taliban fighters have entered the city. We wanted to get a sense of what life is like in Kabul right now. For that, we've called Omaid Sharifi. He's the co-founder and president of ArtLords, a nonprofit arts organization in Kabul. And he joins us now. Welcome to the program.
OMAID SHARIFI: Hi, Don. Thank you for having me.
GONYEA: What's happening in Kabul right now, as far as you can see? Is there fighting that's visible?
SHARIFI: Well, Don, to simply put it, the situation is very chaotic. There's a lot of rumors and fake news about the Taliban takeover or either whether the thieves and warlord groups are in charge. The people, the city, they all look very scared. They have been here in the past many times. And history is repeating itself again. So whoever you see, you see only very sad and very frustrating faces because they feel that they are abandoned. They feel that they are left at the mercy of a group which we know they are very brutal.
GONYEA: And you talk about uncertainty and misinformation and dread. But people don't really know what to do, it sounds like, or how to how to react, perhaps.
SHARIFI: Well, Don, to be honest, we the people are going through so many emotions. One is shock and disbelief. We never thought this would happen and it would happen this quickly. The people are also thinking they're very weak. They're scared. They fear for their lives, for the life of their families, wives, children. So for me as well, I just feel that - I honestly - I don't even have words for it. At one moment of time, I really feel scared. I see my hands shaking at one moment. I keep calling my sisters. The three of them are missing. And then at one moment of time, I have like this feeling that this will pass. We will pass this. Tomorrow, we will see the sun. Things will get better. So all of this is happening at the same time
GONYEA: We found you because you're an artist. You started a nonprofit that engages in public art and engages the public in art.
SHARIFI: So the work that we do on the streets of Kabul or any streets in Afghanistan is this sort of painting together a mural about kindness, about empathy. And I strongly believe that my country, a wounded country, it needs healing. And I am healing it through my art. And even today, like 12:00 p.m., 11:30, we were painting on one of the walls in Kabul. And then suddenly, there was a panic and chaos. So I had to walk all the way to my house because I didn't know what is happening. And we were - we kept painting there.
GONYEA: I saw your tweet about that. And you referenced the dance band on the Titanic, that it felt a little bit like that, even as there is pending potential doom, there are these artists doing their work.
SHARIFI: It was really surreal, if I am using the right word, Don, because it feels that this country is sinking. It feels that - I'm not sure I may be able to paint again or not. I'm not sure my organization will be there. I'm not sure if my paintings will be there tomorrow. I'm really not sure, Don. But still, in this day, couple of hours ago, I was painting in a street of Kabul? And I hope I will be able to do it again.
GONYEA: Well, we wish you well and and safety. We have been talking to Omaid Sharifi, the co-founder and president of ArtLords, an arts nonprofit in Kabul. Omaid, thank you. Thank you so much for talking to us.
SHARIFI: Sure. Sure. Have a good day. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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