Afghan Painter Shabnam Serabi Builds Career After Girls' School Closures

In a small room adorned with colorful paintings, 19-year-old Shabnam, who uses the pseudonym Serabi, works on a canvas depicting a girl with expressive eyes filled with hope and dreams. After schools and universities closed to girls, Shabnam first pursued English lessons before turning to painting, a childhood interest she developed into a professional skill.

Her works focus on the lives of Afghan girls and women, aiming to reveal the aspirations behind their silence. Shabnam said, "If there were no art, many pains would remain silent. Painting helps make the hidden visible."

Her first professional piece portrayed a father and child trapped in the rubble of the Herat earthquake, which drew attention and was exhibited in Australia. Shabnam stated, "That painting was a window to express feelings and pains that words could not convey."

Shabnam teaches painting at a school with a joint program involving a French institution, where students exchange artworks weekly. She described an assignment where her students painted their future dreams and aspirations, sending them to French peers. Shabnam said, "When I see my students painting with enthusiasm and progressing, I feel hope is alive."

She aspires to become a successful businesswoman to achieve independence and create opportunities for others. Shabnam remarked, "Conditions may be hard, but no condition lasts forever. The important thing is not to lose hope." She added, "Never think the path is closed. Even small opportunities can bring you closer to your dreams."

Shabnam's story highlights how she uses art to express resilience amid restrictions on girls' education in Afghanistan.