Kubra Khademi & Mortaza Behboudi

In collaboration with anonymous artists from Kabul

Part of “Love is a Verb #2”

In an Afghan living room, three women talk about their lives, their struggles and their resistance in videos. Between carpets, ceramics, paintings from Kabul and the live performance by Kubra Khademi, a story emerges that lives on despite repression and silence. Visitors enter a room that is modelled on an Afghan living room. In the middle is a large tablecloth on carpets, on which ceramics from Kubra Khademi are arranged. Four windows on the walls provide a view of the streets of Kabul through videos. They show and tell the stories of three women: Laila, who founded a secret girls' school; Souhaila, an artist and singer; and Narges, a former teacher who is fighting for the release of her husband imprisoned by the Taliban. They are denied education, freedom of movement and the opportunity to express their opinions publicly. Yet they resist in secret: They learn, create art and share their knowledge.

The immersive, performative installation invites the audience to experience the everyday resistance of women in Afghanistan in the face of systemic violence, the restriction of their freedom of movement and the gradual erosion of their rights since the return of the Taliban.

The work tells of this fragile yet unwavering life force — sometimes desperate but always alive. Despite violence and enforced silence, women's bodies, voices and struggles remain present in Afghanistan. The videos make their stories visible and audible, while Khademi's ceramics and her own presence as a performer shape the space.

The following article on Arte provides an insight into Kubra Khademi's working methods: https://www.arte.tv/de/videos/102269-003-A/kubra-khademi/

Kubra Khademi is an Afghan feminist, performance and visual artist from the Hazara people who lives in France. Her work is influenced by her life as a woman and refugee. After studying fine arts in Kabul and Lahore, she created her first public performances in which she denounces patriarchy. In 2015, she had to flee Afghanistan after her performance “Armor.” She obtained French citizenship in 2020. She was appointed Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Literature, and her work has since been shown in numerous international institutions.

Mortaza Behboudi is a French-Afghan war reporter and filmmaker. Known for his commitment to reporting from conflict areas, he was included in the “Forbes 30 Under 30” list in the media category in 2019. In January 2023, he was arrested by the Taliban secret service during an operation in Afghanistan and detained for ten months. During his detention, he was awarded the Freedom of Speech Prize by the International Association of Press Clubs. He has published the investigative book “Woman, Life, Freedom: A Reporter Infiltrated at the Heart of the Iranian Revolt” (Stéphane-Frantz-di-Rippel Literature Prize 2025) and “Fixers: Reporters Without Bylines.”

Director: Kubra Khademi/Sound narrative: Mortaza Behboudi/Experience reports: Laila, Narges, Suhaila/ Scenography, plastic installation and performance: Kubra Khademi/Video: Anonymous videgraphers in Kabul and Mortaza Behboudi/Video editing: Noor Azizi/Light: Juliette Delfosse/Voice (French): Alia Liebert, Louna Giriat, Aude Denis, Ali Reza Rahimi, Afiz Rahimi, Juliette Frieh/Opening and closing remarks: Maryse Burgot/Sound engineering: Thomas Jankowski/Sound management: François Gabert/Sound mix: Eric Boisteau/Technical direction: François Lewyllie/Production: Maria-Carmela Mini

This performance is about sexism and misogyny. Physical and psychological violence, war and mental illness are discussed.