An Austrian born artist whose father was originally from Afghanistan said he immediately felt at home when he arrived in the country.
An artist who was born in Austria has returned to his father’s country of birth to promote conceptual and performance arts in Afghanistan.
The artist, Rahman Hak-Hagir is Austrian but his father is an Afghan.
Although he has never lived in Afghanistan he said he is familiar with the social challenges the country faces and wants to share his knowledge with Afghan artists.
Hak-Hagir has created dozens of amazing artworks in the past few years. Hak-Hagir said his father went to Austria before the invasion of the Soviet Union.
“I totally fell in love with my father’s country. And I felt at home from the first day and I am very happy that I finally was able to come here and experience Afghanistan and especially Kabul and the people,” Hak-
Hak-Hagir not only is a photographer, but he mixes theater, music and visual arts and his work includes a short film in which he describes the concept of immigration in a very simple language.
“I see myself half Austrian and half Afghan. Maybe I am somebody with one foot in two different societies,” said Hak-Hagir.
The conceptual and visual arts that Hak-Hagir wants to promote in Afghanistan are new to most Afghan artists.
“A few years ago there was a center named Afghanistan’s Modern Arts Center and many youths were working on conceptual art there. But unfortunately in the last two years this center has become inactive and we do not see any activity by the artists there,” Mohammad Agha Zaki, a photographer and filmmaker said.
Hak-Hagir wants to make two documentaries about Afghanistan. According to him, one of his documentaries will be about Kabul and the other about Panjshir province.