Like flowers, bird motifs in embroidery are part of Afghan tradition. Many families keep birds in cages. In Kabul's bazaar, which is almost a district in itself, there is an entire alley dedicated solely to birds.
Perhaps they are a symbol of freedom, a theme that is very close to the hearts of Afghans, as their own freedom has been restricted for over 40 years, and women's freedom in particular has been arbitrarily revoked.
Afghan women embroider birds born of their imaginations, where form and color know no bounds, but also lifelike birds, like those on an ornithologist's chart, where the bird can be identified. There is something for everyone!
The exhibition "If I were a Bird" presents quilts by European artists who enthusiastically discovered Afghan bird embroidery and felt an irresistible urge to integrate it into their textile work.
This is a small but exquisite exhibition comprising around 12 works, ranging from full-length embroidered cloths created in Afghanistan to classic patchwork pieces and mixed-media works. The works vary in size, but all incorporate at least one piece of embroidery by an Afghan woman. This exhibition is available for loan and is ideal for relatively small exhibition spaces.
