Shamsia Hassani: A Graffiti Artist From Afghanistan

Stage of history the art has always been the way of expression of people. One way or the other the art has always carried thoughts of people. However time has changed and also the people. With the new norms of art, the shape of expression of people has changed. In order to clarify that, it can be said that back then Rembrandt was reflecting his thoughts through “Night Watch” and in our times mankind has found out the Graffiti art.


Considering the historical process, art and philosophy always belong the societies which well managed and in a good condition in the context of welfare level. And also it can be said that when it comes to these two phenomen people attract the attention. But what about the oppressive regimes and closed socities and women?


Iran is such a good example for this kind of countries. Either the situation of society or the behave of government to the women is a sociological case. Also many iranian women hate compulsary hijab. Because this approachment started to being symbol of oppressing and reminds to the women their gender inequality situation.





Art is also a medium to critisize things such as war, inequality or being ignored. Some iranian women took their photographs in order to show their anger to the rest of the world. They pictured themselves as their hijab is all colorfull and like wind rises their headscarf from their heads but of course they made it behind closed doors. The rest of the world could see this movement but iranian people? That is the reason why street art exist, like Graffiti. Behind the closed doors, you can reach the limited people therefore people went outside and started to make world a better place.

Banksy, an anonymous Graffiti artist, took this point of view into the top. There is no question of that world knows the works of Banksy. It is still a dilemma who Banksy is but there is certainly people who don’t hide their identity.


Behavior of people depends on where they come from, what they believe, the background of their life and in this direction their subconsciousness. According to the John Berger: “The way we see things is affected by what we know or what we believe. In the Middle Ages when men believed in the physical existence of Hell the sight of fire must have meant something different from what it means today. Navertheless their idea of Hell owed a lot to the sight of fire consuming and the ashes remaining - as well as to their experience of the pain of burns.” (Berger, The Ways of Seeing, 1972) So, people create what they believe or see or think, so that criticism also comes directly from that.


Shamsia Hassani, who doesn’t hide her identity as a secret, is an afghan graffiti artist. She was born in Tehran and also is a lecturer at the Kabul University. Her works are well known in other countries. Dangerously she draws on the walls the women, women with their instrumentes. According to her, she tries to give her people, to the afghan women a voice; wants to illustrate women as independent individuals and also free as a bird. She wants from women to get outside, aprrove their existence; not to stay at home. As a first Graffiti artist of Afghanistan, she has done many workshops. She verbalizes current situation of afghan women and their place in the society.



Expressing herself on streets is quite dangerous for her, not to mention as physical, she can announced by the society as an outcast or it can cost her life and also her career. But Hassani keeps making her art in the streets. 

Shamsia Hassani, Birds of No Nation

When compared to her works with other graffiti artists such as Vinie Graffiti, who based in Paris, and Christina Angela, who was born in California, Hassani’s works seek only communicate her thoughts and messages into the people. Also, it is very clear that Vinie inspired from Mangas and Christina Angela’s style very close to graphics and american style comics; but Hassani says that she inspires from no one and or neither she cares that her work is good or not. She dedicated to herself to disseminote her purpose. Also this situation separetes her from other artist. She also adds she has no particular style which already became her style.

Christina Angelina

Vinie Graffiti

The only distinctive feature of her work that she draws women with stronger shapes in order to show them as being part of society. Hereinbefore background of her life affects her works. For example, her immigrant past is easily visible and her other impulse is war. She wants to through colors undo the affects of war, therefore her first canvases are the buildings damaged by war.

She also adds some quotes into her paintings. One of her quotes is: “Now they are all slaves, they don’t sing because they are not free.”

In summary, art shows itself in everywhere, even in the worst places. Shamsia Hassani says thereon, “In Afghanistann there weren’t good galleries or people don’t go there. So I painted buildings.” To be brief, she brought art into people.