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ANONYMOUS WITNESS

Golden Kite collection, two parts (2021-2022; 2022-2023)
​Golden Kite collection is a set of digitally created images which illustrates events of the past two years in Afghanistan in two chapters (August  to August 2021- 2022; August to August 2022-2023). These images and words stress the damage caused and the resulting crisis by reflecting the social and cultural life of the people, as well as the economy and politics of Afghanistan from the perspective of an Afghan, here named  “Anonymous Witness”.

"Anonymous Witness" notes that, after twenty years of effort by the international community and billions of dollars of investment, Afghanistan descended into crisis overnight and now is forgotten. Ordinary citizens have been the primary victims of the crisis. They are striving for an unknown future and have been taken hostage as fuel for political parties.

Indifference to the current situation will, step by step, lead to a deeper crisis in Afghanistan.  History has shown that an Afghanistan in crisis impacts the world.

Please follow Anonymous Witness on Instagram:
www.instagram.com/anonymous.witness/​

COLLECTION - Chapter 2, March 2022- August 2023

​ASHNA (Acquaintance)
 (Mar - Aug 2023)

​To mark the two years since the arrival of the de facto government of the people of Afghanistan, this collection shows the commotion, the noise and the daily realities of this forgotten society, the realities that have a deceptive appearance from afar, or remain hidden due to politics. The collection debates the misguided methods of the rulers of Afghanistan which have affected the lives and resources of millions and negatively impact the future of our country. On the surface, this collection shows silence, fear, isolation, liberation and poverty, but on the inside it has a message of hope. This collection is based on a poem with each line associated with an image. Both the poem and the collection created by "Anonymous Witness".

COLLECTION - Chapter 1, August 2021- August 2022
Azadi Mubarak (Happy Freedom) A representative of Islamic government on 15th Aug after they took over Kabul. Within a few days big signs were across the city announcing “happy freedom”.
AHHH Thousands of people gathered at Kabul international airport desperately seeking evacuation. This is a reproduction of a photograph that has gone viral over the web.
Hoshyar Nakhaham Shud (I Will Not Wake Up) Evacuation goes wrong with two explosions near the airport leaving dozens dead.
Cheshm Ha Ra BayadS hust (Eyes Should Be Washed) Eligible evacuates leaving for a better life.
Parwaz (Flight) Three people falling from the airplane, among them one was a soccer player, indeed they achieved their goal.
Gham (Sorrow) mmigrants looking for a better future mostly encouraged by women.
To Beman Ba Man,Tanha To Beman( You Stay with Me,You Alone) Women are prevented from getting an education. A society with uneducated women can not create a peaceful generation.
Entezar (Prospect) On the line waiting for food, job, freedom, education, passport, visa etc...
Tadber (Resourcefulness) “Ask God your needs”, a common message used by the wealthy when interfacing with people in need. This has been empowered officially by the Islamic government.
Lahzae Benshen ke Baran Begzarad (Sit Until the Rain Stops) After years of conflict, imagine the loss of your family, you are prohibited to work and not sure what future holds for you or your dependants.
En nez Begzarad (This Too Shall Pass) It’s been a year since secondary schools for women were shutdown. In Kabul you see many women selling pens on streets.
Ta Ba kae (Until When)As a result of crises, even the poor are hopeless: the international emergency food programme are temporary and not a sustainable solution.
Be Taqder Taslemam (I Submit to Fate) The extremely dire economic is pushing more families deeper into poverty and forced them to make desperate choices, such as marrying girls off at a young age.
Ey Khuda (Oh God) The desperation among adults has put children in increasing danger such as kidnapping and trade of body parts. Many cases are not publicized.
To Mara Jan Va Jahane (You Are My Life and The World) Crisis brings separation among families.
Hich (Nothing) Another image that has gone viral on the web - a militia giving a ride to two girls in modern clothing. In reality, the Islamic government has prohibited women of seating in the front of public transportation close to the driver.
Maranjan (Don’t Hurt Me) Devastation: when you only have two choices, to love or to fight.
Bahar Me Ayad (Spring will Come) Weaving Burqa has been encouraged by the Islamic government, a family taking a family photograph.
Mara Be Hich, Man Hanoz Bar Anam (Me to Nothing, I’m still on It) When Afghanistan is in the hands of two powers and each is equally pushing to open the door.
Dev Chu Beron Rawan, Fereshta Dar Ayad (When the Demon Goes Out, The Angel will Come) This may remind you of The Last Supper from Da Venci. The Islamic government has internal tensions that may threaten their political survival or arrive an earlier ending.

EDITORIAL TEAM

ONLINE FOUNDER
Tariq Hassan Gordon

COFOUNDERS & CURATORIAL ADVISORS 
 
Jamelie Hassan 
& Ron Benner

ADVISORY CIRCLE
Samer Abdelnour, Marnie Fleming, Wyn Geleynse, Fern Helfand, S F Ho, Lorraine Klaasen, Judith Rodger, Ruth Skinner, Mary Lou Smoke, and Lucas Stenning 

COORDINATING EDITORS
Tariq Hassan Gordon & 
Olivia Mossuto

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Blessy Augustine, Anahí González, Jared Hendricks-Polack, Jessica Irene Joyce, Ira Kazi, 
Shelley Kopp, Jenna Rose Sands, Mireya Seymour, Venus Tsao, Diana Tamblyn, and Michelle Wilson. 

VIRTUAL TOUR
Andreas Buchwaldt

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OUR STORY
Artists Jamelie Hassan and Ron Benner and jazz musician Eric Stach founded the Embassy Cultural House (1983-1990) located in the restaurant portion of the Embassy Hotel at 732 Dundas Street in East London. In 2020, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Embassy Cultural House was re-envisioned as a virtual artist-run space and website. 

The Embassy Cultural House gratefully acknowledges the support of the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council and the London Arts Council through the City of London's Community Arts Investment Program.
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The Embassy Cultural House is thankful for the mentorship program established by Western University's Visual Arts department and the continued support of the students and Faculty of Arts & Humanities.
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Our Partners

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E M B A S S Y  C U L T U R A L  H O U S E . C A

The Embassy Cultural House (ECH) is located on the traditional lands of the Anishinaabek, Haudenosaunee, Lūnaapéewak, and Chonnonton peoples, at the forks of Deshkan Ziibi (Antler River), an area subject to the Dish with One Spoon Covenant Wampum and other treaties, colonized as London, Ontario. The ECH strives to create meaningful relationships between the Indigenous Peoples of Turtle Island and our contributors. The ECH honours the stewardship of the many Indigenous peoples who have resided on these lands since time immemorial.

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