Curators' talk- I weave what I have seen: The war rugs of Afghanistan

Launched by Sally Wheeler, Deputy Vice-Chancellor for International Strategy and Dean of ANU College of Law, Australian National University, I weave what I have seen: The War Rugs of Afghanistan is a testimony to the creativity and resilience of Afghan weavers who have faced the devastating effects of war for more than forty years.

From the very start of the conflict, Afghan weavers began developing a striking new form of war art involving a complex imagery of armaments, maps, monuments, texts and portraits which soon began to find an international audience.

Emerging out of a research project undertaken at the Australian National University by Tim Bonyhady and Nigel Lendon, this exhibition investigates the history, iconography, production and distribution of these extraordinary rugs.

I weave what I have seen: The War Rugs of Afghanistan shows at the Drill Hall Gallery from 25 June-15 August 2021