The subject of modern art in Afghanistan remains notably underserved by academic and historical scholarship, with few dedicated studies that adequately contextualize the country's artistic evolution. Existing literature typically focuses either on art predating the 19th century or on works produced after the 2001 American invasion. It was with genuine anticipation, therefore, that I approached Constance Wyndham's essay, The Making of Modern Art in Afghanistan, published in the catalog accompanying the 2008 exhibition Living Traditions: Contemporary Art from Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan.
Curator Jemima Montagu described the exhibition’s aim as bringing together contemporary artists from Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan to critically examine the nuanced interactions between historical traditions and present-day artistic expressions. Given this thoughtful premise, Wyndham’s contribution initially seemed poised to offer much-needed insights into Afghanistan’s modern artistic practices. Yet upon closer reading, his narrative disappointingly lacks the historical rigor necessary to fulfill its stated ambition. Attempting to compress over a century of artistic and political complexities into a brief six-page essay, Wyndham inevitably offers a cursory and incomplete account.
Beginning with King Amanullah’s modernization efforts, Wyndham briefly acknowledges prominent early 20th-century figures such as Ghulam Muhammad Musawar Maimanagi and Abdul Ghafor Breshna, alongside the foundational Sanayi School. However, his discussion neglects several essential artists whose contributions significantly enriched Afghanistan’s artistic heritage. The omission of pivotal figures such as Ghaussuddin Khan, Muhammad Humayoon Itemadi, Muhammad Yosuf Kohzad, Saeed Maqdos Negah, Amanullah Haiderzad, Ghulam Mahyodeen Shabnam, among others, considerably weakens the credibility and depth of Wyndham’s account. Furthermore, his assertion that meaningful artistic progress began predominantly with Soviet influence in the 1950s is unsupported by historical evidence, and obscures the rich, diverse artistic landscape that flourished independently of Soviet intervention.
Equally problematic is Wyndham’s neglect of the dynamic exchanges between Afghan artists and foreign art academies, particularly those in France, Italy, and Germany. The establishment of the Fine Arts Faculty at Kabul University, ed notably by Amanullah Haiderzad, clearly illustrates such European influence. Haiderzad’s eventual exile, prompted by his principled refusal to align with communist artistic mandates following the Soviet invasion, further complicates Wyndham’s reductive narrative and underscores the need for historical nuance.
In his swift shift to contemporary artists such as Khadim Ali, Mariam Ghani, Lida Abdul, Rahraw Omarzad, and Sara Nabil, Wyndham once again overlooks historical continuity. He fails to establish meaningful connections between these contemporary practitioners and their modernist predecessors, framing their work largely through geopolitical lenses while ignoring deeper cultural and aesthetic lineages.
Wyndham’s treatment of Afghan cinema and photography suffers from similar historical oversight. His claim that these mediums “flourished only after 2001” inaccurately dismisses well-established traditions. Photographers such as Shahid Dad, Mamoor Muhammad Shah, Muhammad Aman, and Yar Muhammad were actively documenting Afghan life long before this period. Likewise, Wyndham neglects the important contributions of Afghan Film and diaspora filmmakers who sustained cinematic practices despite the severe restrictions of the Taliban era.
The work of organizations such as Turquoise Mountain, founded in 2006, has been instrumental in preserving and revitalizing Afghanistan’s cultural heritage. However, Wyndham’s superficial approach inadvertently diminishes the significance of such efforts by implying the absence of meaningful artistic traditions prior to contemporary interventions. Ultimately, whether Wyndham sought to explore modern or contemporary art, his narrow focus and critical omissions result in a skewed and incomplete portrayal of Afghanistan’s rich and complex artistic history.