My Life, My Story Empowering Women through Storytelling & Exhibition at Blacktown

By: Harmohan Walia

Maryam Zahid of ‘Afghan Women on the Move’ organised a new exhibition by Afghan women at The Leo Kelly Blacktown Arts Centre on Saturday 5th of February 2022.

It is an international gathering and exhibition of visual storytelling of women’s lived experiences. The project explores themes about gender, identity, change and resilience.

My Life, My Story features the debut documentary from Maryam and an exhibition of new works by artists, Arezo Aziz, Sara Barackzay, Lida Sultani Farahin, Neelab Omar and Fozia Zahid and Zahid Ahmed. The exhibition and film draw on interviews with women from the Afghan community in Blacktown and around the world, reflecting on shared lived experiences, triumphs and the strength of the female spirit.

Artist Arezo Aziz expresses the inspiration she feels from participating in this exhibition as ‘I want to paint more and more women who are standing on stage and talking about how they challenge the patriarchy and injustice.’ Artist Mary Akrami, describes this creative experience as motivation saying ‘Afghan women are no longer silent. Our struggle continues but our hope will not fade.’

Maryam Zahid, Director of Afghan Women on the Move says ‘I can feel and empathize with all the women involved in this project. I have lived through similar experiences and events as they have, and I think it’s amazing that they now have the opportunities to speak up and tell their stories on camera.’

My Life, My Story is supported by Afghan Women on the Move (AWOTM) – a global platform uniting women in the Afghan diaspora to share their life stories through creative arts and storytelling, breaking cycles of isolation and disadvantage.

The exhibition runs from 3 – 26 February, with a Panel Discussion and Afghan tea-making, conversations and tours. All free to attend.