A peace of art

Experience “Afghanistan Before the Wars” through the lens of Dr. Mark Svendsen in an extraordinary new photography exhibit on display at the Olive Street Gallery inside the Newport Performing Arts Center until May 19.

An opening reception will take place on Wednesday, April 17 from 5:30 to 7 pm.

Afghanistan has not always been a battleground. Unfortunately, all that most Americans know of this country has been gained from news stories, photographs and video segments from a period dominated by violence, destruction and destitution.

The other Afghanistan, the one that existed before the wars, comprised a beautiful and austere land of high snow-covered mountains, tumbling mountain streams, emerald-green fields of irrigated wheat and rice and arid deserts.

The images of this earlier Afghanistan and its people are from a collection of pictures taken between 1968 and 1973, featuring children, tradesmen, markets, nomads, artisans and teahouse life. The exhibit serves to acquaint viewers with the native beauty of Afghanistan and the universal humanity of its people and to impart a sense of what life there was like when the country was at peace, a half-century ago.

“We deserve to learn more about cultures than how they are presented to us through the news media,” Chasse Davidson, director of the Newport Visual Arts Center said. “Svendsen’s beautiful photographs share a slice of Afghanistan history and connect our humanity in a way that only art can.” 

The Newport Performing Arts Center is located at 777 W Olive Street. For more information, go to coastarts.org or call 541-265-2787.