nytimes.comThe last twenty years of artistic expression in Afghanistan have screeched to a halt and artists are scrambling to destroy and conceal their work. Since then, many artists have escaped the country and resettled elsewhere, driven by the rampant fear that there is no future for the art scene under Taliban rule. The Taliban reportedly destroyed at least 2,750 ancient artworks from the National Museum of Afghanistan throughout 2001. The uncertainty has created an Afghanistan in which some art loosely remains, but crowds and practitioners are scarce. Many Afghans feel as though it is only a matter of time until the arts scene in Afghanistan is entirely nonexistent.

Source: New York Times November 19, 2021 03:26 UTC