Children ambling about in a schoolyard is a familiar scene, but in Amiri’s “Recess” the girls pictured aren’t playing with any visible toys: the balls present are left on the ground and there is a sense of detachment between the children, along with a physical distance from the school itself. When the Taliban regained control of Afghanistan after recent U.S. withdrawal, women educators were removed from academic institutions and female students were no longer allowed to study. When half of a population is oppressed, how are they to engage with play? How does a loss of childhood expression and growth impact a society as a whole?
When Afghan-American composer Milad Yousufi was born in 1995, the arts – including music – were banned in Afghanistan by the Taliban. As a child, he was so drawn to creating art that he drew piano keys on paper and pretended to play, imagining what the notes would sound like. The solo piano in “Healer” oscillates from quickly repeated notes that create a sense of anxiety to quick flourishes that become like raindrops falling. It seems to reflect the unease of not being able to fully express yourself as a child to discovering a sense of joy through creation – slowly, and with some interruptions, but ultimately the journey of healing an inner child.
Want to explore more music inspired by Hangama Amiri's art? Listen to our Spotify playlist for full pieces.
Find more information about 'Hangama Amiri: A Homage to Home' on the Kemper's website.
You can find out more about Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art at kemperart.org.
View the full Kemper Museum Permanent Collection here.