Resin Art: Women in Afghanistan Craft Futures
The sharp scent of resin and the fragrance of colorful flowers fill the air of a small workshop in the heart of Kabul, where light streams through the windows onto the surfaces of resin vessels, paintings, and decorative items in shades of gold, red, and purple, bringing the colors to life in a gentle shimmer. Amidst this harmony of color and light, what captures attention above all else is the quiet focus of Nadia Abdullahi, who carefully and patiently blends colors into resin, transforming each drop into a fresh design within silicone molds.
The “ZN” resin workshop is one of the few centers that has introduced resin art in Afghanistan and teaches it to girls, women, and even several young men. The products that emerge from this workshop are not merely decorative items; they are the result of the effort and creativity of women who, amid increasingly restricted educational and employment opportunities, seek to learn skills and generate income, in a space where Taliban restrictions and unwritten and formal rules, especially in recent years, have cast a shadow over the lives of women and girls. ...
To date, approximately 300 students have been trained at this center, of whom nearly 100 are actively working in the field of resin art, and a number have launched their own home-based businesses. The center has also created direct employment for approximately 10 people and has indirectly provided income-generating opportunities for dozens of other women....