HERAT CITY (Pajhwok): Fifteen young women at an art gallery in Herat city are learning miniature painting, calligraphy, illumination and ceramic painting in an effort to preserve Afghanistan’s traditional arts and earn an income.
However, the gallery’s manager says the high cost of importing unfinished ceramic ware from Iran remains a major challenge and calls for its domestic production.
At the gallery, the young women carefully paint intricate designs on ceramic plates and other items, using delicate patterns and vibrant colours to transform them into decorative pieces. After the designs are completed, the items are fired and glazed to make them ready for use.
Nagita Durrani, the gallery’s manager, said she had been running the centre for three years, teaching young women miniature painting, calligraphy, illumination and painting.
“We started working with ceramic ware at the Ikhtiyaruddin Gallery three years ago. Fifteen young women work with us and learn these artistic skills. Our work focuses on ceramic ware and covers four areas: miniature painting, calligraphy, illumination and painting,” she said.
Durrani added that, besides providing training opportunities, displaying the women’s work to tourists helped introduce their artistic skills to a wider audience.
The decorated ceramic pieces add colour and character to the gallery. More than just a workplace, the centre offers young women an opportunity to develop their talents, learn practical skills and explore ways to earn a living through art.
However, the work faces several challenges. The unfinished ceramic items used by the women are imported from Iran, raising material costs and making production more expensive.
“We hope the necessary facilities will be provided in the future so that we can expand our work. At present, we import ceramic ware from Iran and apply our designs here. It would be better if we could make these items locally from Afghan clay. This is a major problem for us. Transport costs, customs duties and the prices of the products are all very high by the time they arrive,” Durrani said.
The centre’s instructors say they are also working to preserve Afghanistan’s artistic heritage by passing traditional skills on to younger generations.
Teaching art to preserve cultural heritage
Preserving Afghanistan’s traditional arts is one of the centre’s main objectives, alongside expanding its artistic activities.
Zalira Jamalzada, a painting instructor, said the work involved more than decorating ceramic ware, describing it as a calming and rewarding activity.
“I have been working in ceramics for almost three years. Half of the women here are instructors and the other half are students. We teach the students, while the instructors create designs on the ceramic pieces,” she said.
Emphasising the importance of preserving traditional arts, Jamalzada added: “I want to help keep Afghan art alive. Ceramics is one of our art forms, but it has received little attention in recent years. We want to bring it into people’s homes and introduce it to them.”
Young women hope to earn a living through art
For the young women receiving training at the gallery, the work offers more than an opportunity to learn painting and design. They also hope to use their skills to improve their financial circumstances.
Hajira Taimuri, one of the students, helps with the firing and glazing process. She removes the ceramic pieces from the kiln after the initial firing, applies glaze and returns them to the kiln for a second firing.
She said the centre offered her a chance both to learn an artistic skill and to meet her financial needs.
“We come here to learn art and improve our financial situation. First, we heat the kiln and place the ceramic pieces inside for firing. After applying the glaze, we put them back in the kiln to make them ready for use,” she said.
The young women’s creations reflect their efforts to preserve a traditional art form while creating opportunities for themselves.
Greater support for artistic initiatives and the local production of ceramic ware could help expand training and employment opportunities and bring Afghan ceramic art to a wider audience.
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