Mississauga, ON  2018-19

Neela Imani

BFA 2018

Da Watan (This Land)

Oil on canvas, 2018, 40"w x 42"h

Informed by the stories of relatives and my own relationship to my motherland, Da Watan explores the impact of American imperialism, terrorism and conflicting Soviet, British and Pakistani interests within Afghanistan. Responding to biased photojournalism used to reinforce Western propaganda, it juxtaposes a historical and present-day photo of Afghanistan. Featuring a couplet from Afghanistan’s anthem, “This land is Afghanistan, the pride of every Afghan,” Da Watan documents my coming to terms with my ethnicity and the tenacity of every Afghan in the face of orientalist, colonialist attitudes.

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