AVAH intends to utilise the digital space as a more ambiguous and independent space to negotiate artistic practice and culture,
in contrast to institutional and national frameworks that operate with different agendas and limits.
Through AVAH the collective invites fellow (Afghan) colleagues to engage in conversation with one another (but not only) through a digital livestream, and with it the platform aims to bridge geographical distance and cultural fragmentation due to the ongoing displacement of Afghan people.

Countering Fragmentation
(workshop) curated by A V A H
with Shahrbanoo Sadat and Rahrwa Omarzad
at HKW Berlin

Due to ongoing destabilization, destruction and flight, ever more people in and from Afghanistan are facing the ruins and fragments of their collective history and culture. Moderated by Moshtari Hilal and Parwana Haydar, curators of AVAH Collective, the workshop Countering Fragmentation brings together Afghans to engage in direct dialogue with the invited artists. How can art bring together fragmented, lost knowledge and scattered experiences?

The filmmaker Shahrbanoo Sadat and the artist and founder of the former CCAA, Center for Contemporary Art Afghanistan, Rahraw Omarzad will present their work and share their knowledge with the participants. The workshop specifically invites people with biographical connections to Afghanistan to jointly determine their own thematic priorities.

A F G H A N
G L I T C H
curated by A V A H
for deconfine by Media Art South Asia

This is a conversation between two artists via zoom, curated by AVAH (Afghan Visual Arts and History)

AVAH is enganging critically with Afghan and Afghan-diasporic themes at the nexus of mainly visual culture and cultural production. By utilising the digital space as a more ambiguous and independent sphere to negotiate artistic practice and culture, in contrast to institutional and national frameworks that operate with different agendas and limits, AVAH invites artists to meet across their displacement and share their practice and thinking. For this curated conversation the artists Mumtaz Khan Chopan and Morteza Herati came together to discuss Mortezas digital work series "Afghan Glitch". Chopan tunes in from Indonesia, Herati from France, while AVAH records the whole conversation from Germany.

see the full conversation in Farsi with English subtitles between @mortezaherati and @mumtazchopan on www.deconfine.org

Virtual Roundtable:
DECENTRALIZED: DIGITAL CREATIVE COLLTECTIVES
AND ONLINE ARCHVINGfor a virtual open forum discussion featuring digital creative collectives on approaching unconventional curating, researching and archiving. Hosted by AVAH Collective, in conversation with Banat Collective (@banatcollective), Marcaz Projects (@marcazprojects), South Asia Art (@southasia.art), and Yahala Studio (@yahala.studio). To join watch the conversation, visiti our partners at www.miilkiina.com

Together with our colleagues from Marcaz we organised this art sale for people in need in Afghanistan. You can buy artworks and we will donate the proceeds to Visions for Children e.V. who currently plan a Winter Emergency Relief Action for Afghanistan. The goal is to support families in need financially or through care packages, depending on their personal needs. Any surplus income will go towards their long-term educational projects in Afghanistan, as in previous years.
As a humanitarian catastrophe continues to unfold in Afghanistan, millions of lives remain at risk, especially with a harsh and unforgiving winter on the horizon.

In the face of this growing crisis and uncertainty grappling the nation in recent months, these incredible and generous artists have donated their works to raise funds to support the NGO Visions for Children e.V. in their mission to provide urgent humanitarian relief in Afghanistan. Visions for Children e.V. is experienced since 15 years in Afghanistan and focuses in their work on the needs of the Afghan civil society.A big thank you to
Hangama Amiri, Yumna al-Arashi, Stefan Marx, Sam Samiee, Shaheer Zazai, Jeanno Gaussi, Mashal Alsaie, Afshan Daneshvar, Moshtari Hilal, Ahmed Morsi, Nahla Al Tabaa

AVAH is also in the planning and development process of a publication and welcomes contributions from Afghan colleagues, writers, artists and designers.

Theme “Collecting”
Deadline for first Drafts still open