Art Works Projects: Afghanistan Exhibition Favorite 

Art Works Projects’ mission is to use design and the arts to raise
awareness of and educate the public about significant human rights and
environmental issues. AWP provides visual advocacy tools which produce
action on human rights crises at the grassroots, media, and policy
levels. Conceptualized and created in conjunction with established
humanitarian and human rights advocacy organizations, AWP’s art and
design exhibitions, books, recordings, films, and other initiatives
provide opportunities for large numbers of the general population to
engage in ending major human rights violations. In its first five years of existence, AWP’s agenda includes projects
exposing genocide, extreme sexual violence against women, the global
shortage of potable water, forced labor and human trafficking, and
ethnic cleansing and anti-democracy actions. AWP selects topics which
are the most intractable, the least covered in the mainstream media, and
the most abusive for victims.


WOMEN BETWEEN PEACE AND WAR: Afghanistan is a collection of photography and captions printed in poster format for
display and a handbook created for use in a wide range of creative, civic,
and academic community settings.
The project includes 20 large posters featuring intimate views into
four main areas of the lives of women and girls of the region; economic
access, rule of law, health, and education for girls.

Collaborating photographers are: Lynsey Addario, Paula Bronstein, Jean Chung, Ron Haviv, Jared Moossy, Moises Saman, Stephanie Sinclair, Abbie Trayler-Smith, Veronique de Viguerie, and Farzana Wahidy.

Additionally, a softcover handbook provides short essays by
contributing writers Elizabeth Rubin, New York Times and Vogue magazine
journalist, and Leslie Thomas, Executive Director of ART WORKS Projects,
that are highlighted by commentary from Afghan women and girls who are
navigating the complexities of these issues in their daily lives. A
timeline of the history of women’s rights provides context for viewing
and reading. A high-school level curriculum is being developed for further student exploration.

This printed handbook and poster set is the latest in the expanding WOMEN BETWEEN PEACE AND WAR: Afghanistan
initiative. Other components include a museum installation of digitally
projected images and sound, a web-based slideshow, and a forthcoming
documentary on women in Afghanistan directed by Elizabeth Rubin and
co-produced by ART WORKS Projects.