Leila Mousavi
Title: The Forty Flights
Material: painted wood, thread, metall
Year: 2022
About:
Almost a century ago when an army led by Abdur Abdur Rahman was sent by the central government, a mere puppet of Britain, to take the control of the Uruzgan region. Hundreds of people were brutally killed and abused by Abdur Rahman’s soldiers. A girl namely Shirin forms a small group of 40 Hazara girls to put up resistance to the invaders. They take shelter on the Shehpar Mountains. The army lays siege to the mountain to capture the group. To preserve their honor and dignity, the girls finally throw themselves down the mountain after a seven-day fight.

Bio:
In her artistic work, Leila Mousavi ( 1992, Panjshir) examines colonialism and its impact on culture and gender. In her current work, Leila focuses on collections of historical statues, entitled "Bactrian Goddesses", which represent the great role women played in the ancient history of Central Asia. Her own refugee experience and her Afghan background play an important role in her narrative.