On Sunday, 4 October, you can experience the photo exhibition Hope, Craft and Stories: Afghan Women in Art and Trade in Copenhagen for the first time. The exhibition has previously been shown at KØN – Gender Museum Denmark and DOKK1 in Aarhus.

About the Exhibition

Women in Afghanistan live under difficult conditions. Many families do not allow their daughters and wives to leave the home without wearing a burqa, and many jobs are occupied exclusively by men. Since the Taliban returned to power in 2021, many things have become even more difficult.

Despite cultural and political restrictions, there are two sectors in which many women continue to have the opportunity to earn an income and create value: handicrafts and food production. The exhibition portrays the women who, despite adversity, work tirelessly in these sectors.

Together with photographer Marie Ravn and journalist Birk Sebastian Kotkas, Østerland has travelled through Afghanistan to meet some of the strong women who support themselves financially and have achieved independence through their work.

For centuries, Afghanistan has been an important part of the Silk Road, where goods and culture have been exchanged between Asia and Europe. The women are helping to carry on this tradition by producing jewellery, embroidery and painted candle holders, which are exported to countries such as Denmark.

The stories of the women’s everyday lives and work are presented alongside portraits and examples of Afghan women’s handicrafts, developed and produced in close collaboration with Østerland. Together, they offer a unique insight into the women’s daily lives, challenges and hopes for the future.

Selected photographs from the exhibition will be on display in the shop until the end of October.

Supported by the Danish Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ Information and Engagement Fund (OpEn).

Sunday, 4 October, 12–3 PM

Location: The shop at Egegade 7, 2200 Copenhagen N

Snacks with dried mulberries, saffron tea and coffee will be served.

We look forward to seeing you!