Unity and Struggle - 2023
Contained within
Unfolding Project 3 - While We Are Waiting 2024
Acquired - Bibliotheca Librorum apud Artificem, Sydney, NSW
While We Are Waiting is a collection of writings from women in Afghanistan throughout 2022 and the visual responses in the form of artists’ books from women artists in Australia during 2023.
Each of the 21 artists’ books have been placed in a customised folder (Stonehenge 250g sm paper) together with an introduction and colophon folders, in two archival solander boxes.
Annique Goldenberg & Shazia
Unity and Struggle, 2023
relief print, acrylic on digital print, embroidery thread, hair
artist’s book, 43.8 cm x 29.7 cm closed
In 2023 I was honoured to be invited to make an artist book in response to an Afghan woman's personal story, as part of the third unfolding Project, a trio of international collaborative projects between women in Australia and Afghanistan initiated by Gali Weiss. I chose Shazia's story to respond to and this is my contribution to the final folio of 21 artist books and accompanying text. My artist statement is below.
 |  |
|---|---|
 |  |
 |
We want to take charge of our destiny both in the field of education and work and in the field of socio-political participation in society. And this goal is not possible without the unity and struggle of girls and women.
Extract from Shazia Doorman's story, July 27, 2022. Kunduz, Afghanistan
Artist Statement
I have been partnered with Shazia for this third Unfolding Project – While We Are Waiting, and I thank her for sharing her story with us. I found it took time to absorb her words, to feel what she described, to hear her thoughts and dreams; for herself, for Afghan girls and women, and for her country. It is unimaginable for me to truly know what she has experienced, what she still experiences today.
I found my response took the form of an expressive mark, an image drawn as an ocean wave pushed pigment over my paper, capturing every particle as its force swept across the page. Once printed, I joined the two halves of my drawing with a column of red sutures, an act of mending to strengthen the work’s spine. As a personal message to Shazia, I sewed one suture with my hair, a material with no structural strength, but included as an expression of connection and solidarity, woman to woman. A sentiment the While We Are Waiting Project represents for me.
For the text, I chose two Dari words from Shazia’s final sentence placing them in a quiet space within the maelstrom of energy created by the water’s movement. Two words that embodied for me her sense of empowerment and strength. When my page in the collection is closed, the story and Dari script are hidden, we only see two words in English. It is only when the cover is opened, can we connect and hopefully understand the importance of these words to Shazia’s world.
Unity and Struggle
Annique Goldenberg, 2024. NSW, Australia
Shazia'z story
I am Shazia. I was born 23 years ago in one of the remote villages of Kunduz province. We lived
in a difficult situation in the village. There was no school in our village. There were no jobs, only
my father worked to feed our family of nine. If we got sick, we couldn't go to the doctor
because we didn't have money to pay for medicine.
Many years ago, my family came to the centre of Kunduz from a remote village to find work.
For some time, our situation was worse than at the village. Later, the work environment
became better for my father and my brother, but again, we could only save ourselves from
hunger and could not take care of other problems in our lives. Yet I was still very happy that at
least my two sisters and I had a chance to go to school. I learned a lot at school. We had
entered a different environment and everything I saw there was new and informative for me.
In our society, girls are born and grow up in deprivation and adversity, without having a dream
and a chance to develop. Most are forced by their families to marry before the age of 18 and
enter a dark and meaningless life, and they often die giving birth. But I had the opportunity to
study and dream. My family was by my side and supported me under all circumstances. My
family always encouraged me to achieve my dreams and I became more hopeful in life. Poverty
has hardened us and with hard life it strengthened our endurance. I have fought with
difficulties and have never surrendered to difficult situations, and never lost hope for a better
future. It has been four years since I graduated from school, but I could not go to university. I
want to go to university and progress in life and work hard to achieve my dreams. Having
battled the odds for years, I am determined to make the most of the smallest opening and
opportunity.
I consider education to be the most important factor and tool for fundamental change in the
lives of Afghan girls and women. Afghan girls, who have been deprived of school and education
for years, know the value and importance of education more than anyone else in the world. I
cry for myself and millions of Afghan girls who have been deprived of education after the reestablishment of the Taliban. No woman, not even an illiterate one, is a supporter of the
Taliban regime. All Afghan women are against the decisions of the Taliban. Women want to
study and work and experience a happy life in a world full of peace that is free of war. This is
the wish of all Afghan people, especially girls and women. We want to have democracy and
freedom like other countries, a place where human rights and women's rights will no longer be
violated. We want to work and study to make a constructive contribution to building our ruined
country. We want to take charge of our destiny both in the field of education and work and in
the field of socio-political participation in society. And this goal is not possible without the unity
and struggle of girls and women.
Shazia, 27 July 2022