Chogh: Connecting and witnessing is a solo exhibition by current Queensland College of Art and Design student Razia Ghazal that showcases a new body of work created in response to the women's uprising that began in Afghanistan in August 2021, following the Taliban's takeover of the country. Many fled, recalling the brutality and oppression experienced during the Taliban's previous rule in 1996. Women across Afghanistan took to the streets, bravely protesting the regime despite the immense danger.
However, their protests and resistance were largely ignored by mainstream media, overshadowed by political interests in other countries. Over the past three years, girls have been forbidden from attending school, and women have been restricted from participating in outdoor activities, stripping them of their basic Human rights.
In her art, Razia uses fragments of familiar textiles, stitching them together to create a tangible connection with the women who remain isolated and distant. This act of stitching serves as a metaphor for the collective strength and resilience of Afghanistani women. Through her work, Razia conveys a sense of ambivalence, reflecting both a deep connection to her motherland and a poignant awareness of the struggles faced by its women. Her art becomes a narrative, capturing the essence of resistance, solidarity, and the unyielding spirit of Afghanistani women in the face of oppression and mirroring the artist's own experience of ambivalent belonging.