Their plight has been well publicized. They’ve been denied the rights to attend school and to work. They’ve been forbidden to expose any part of their skin. Many have been stoned to death or shot in public stadiums (in front of cheering men) for alleged adultery. So what does the world look like through Afghani women’s eyes? Local artist Jennifer Hauri offers one perspective in her new show “Flight of the Butterfly…With Veil, Without Veil,” which opens today at Mind Puddles Gallery.
For the exhibit, Hauri hung several burqas (the traditional wrap clothing that Afghani women are required to wear) from the gallery ceiling. The burqas are open in the back, so that viewers can step into them and peer at Hauri’s colorful paintings through their veils of lace mesh. Hauri’s works depict Afghani women intermingled with butterflies. It’s a juxtaposition, as the burqas represent restraint, while butterflies, for Hauri, are a symbol of female liberation. “Most of us will never experience a burqa,” she says. “They’re hot and heavy, you feel trapped, and the netting that you wear over your face distorts your entire view of the world. They’re a symbol of oppression. That’s why I’ve chosen the butterfly. In the case of the Afghani women, it’s a symbol of hope.” Opening reception runs 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Thu., June 1, 7-9 p.m.; June 1-July 1
This article appears in Jun 1-7, 2006.