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Ailyn Agonia
Doha
FORTY pictures capturing the unique skating culture among Afghan girls taken and compiled by acclaimed British photographer Jessica Fulford-Dobson are put on display at an exhibition titled 'Skate Girls of Kabul' which opened at Katara's QM Gallery on Wednesday.
The exhibition being held for the first time in the Middle East is presented by Qatar Museums (QM) and shows how Afghan girls' love for skating is also connected to their education.
It depicts stories of Afghan girls aged between five and 25 that use skateboards as a means of transportation to attend school through Skateistan, an international nonprofit organisation empowering youth and children through skateboarding and education.
The collection also includes 12 portraits showcased in the Heroes section of the gallery. Besides, it includes Fulford-Dobson's photograph of a seven-year-old Afghan girl known as the Teal Girl which won second place in the 2014 Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize organised by London's National Portrait Gallery. The exhibition will be open for public viewing from July 20 to October 21.
Commenting on the occasion, Fulford-Dobson said her collection attempts to capture the joy of skating, the individuality of her subjects and the unique community that they have built. She added that the portraits do not just reflect the skating culture in Afghanistan but also the hope that it has generated among girls in terms of education.
"I first met these girls in 2012 and knew their story had to be told. It was their determination, and the unique way in which they created a skating culture entirely their own, that kept me coming back to the skate park day after day to capture this pocket of hope. It's hard to put into words how captivating this young skateboarding community was to be around but I hope that's precisely what the photographs will show. That's why I chose to work with natural light and in the original setting of the skate park, letting these girls' personalities shine through the images," she said.
Fulford-Dubson is a freelance London based portrait photographer. In April 2015, she had her first solo exhibition at the Saatchi Gallery in London.
The opening of the exhibition also featured a skating ramp constructed inside the gallery space that allowed the guests to try out skateboarding. Alongside the exhibition, an education programme was also launched including summer camps, school visits and series of community workshops.
Speaking on the occasion, Qatar Museums' Chief Strategic Planning Officer Khalid al Ibrahim stressed the significance of the collection. He added:"The Skate Girls of Kabul opening night event reflected the true spirit of the show. The photographs emitted a sense of hopefulness and perseverance and drew the guests' attention. This powerful show is yet another example of Qatar Museums' focus on bringing high-profile exhibitions to Qatar with the aim of inspiring an indigenous culture of creativity and innovation."
