Rada Akbar

Rada Akbar is a conceptual artist and photographer. Born in Afghanistan, she denounces in her work the oppression borne by the women in her country, upholds their rights, and draws attention to their role in society and history. Rada Akbar uses several means and formats to express the reality of their lives, combining painting, photography, textiles, performance, and installations, as well as recovering traditional craft techniques and materials. Notable among her projects are Abarzanan (Superwomen, 2018), in which she pays tribute through dress to outstanding Afghan women, and Invisible Captivities (2013), where she captures the religious and cultural forces that circumscribe their identity and role. In the domain of performance, her show A Speech for the Deceased (2021) honours the memory of victims of terrorist attacks. Recently, she has been working to recover the tradition of the Persian miniature combined with the art of rug making as a way of portraying the history of Afghan women. Her work has been exhibited around the world and has received the Prince Claus Award and the UNICEF Photo of the Year Award.