Void Gallery presents ‘Above Us the Milky Way’, an exhibition featuring the work of artists Orna Kazimi, Kubra Khademi, Mario García Torres and Erkan Özgen at 10 Waterloo Place, Derry-Londonderry, from 25 June to 27 August, 2022. There will be a preview on opening night from 6 to 8pm.
The title of the exhibition is taken from a novel by Fowzin Karimi that explores the complexities and the impact of war through memories, loss and notions of home.
The legacy of war, the repression of minorities and women, and the trauma that seeps through the generations forms the focal point of this exhibition.
The effect of war on women is prevalent in parts of the Middle East, especially in the past year. Most significant is the transformation of Afghan society in terms of girls’ access to education and women losing basic human rights and limits to their freedom. Women and girls suffer disproportionately during and after war, as existing inequalities are magnified and social networks break down, making them more vulnerable to sexual violence and exploitation.
Post-war, returning generations reach a location that only exists in their imaginations and through the stories of their parents or ancestors. What remains is often just a memory and a decimated landscape. This question of how do we change this trajectory, imagining a new way forward that attunes to a more equitable way of being and breaking the repetition of the cycle of history is something that we need to address. It is as urgent now as it has been throughout the history of war and conflict.