Full Moon
Size
18ft. x 20 ft.
Medium
Oil on Cement
Location
Lake Qhargha, Afghanistan
Year
2006
Summary
Full Moon is a painting I did as President of Afghan American Peace Corp, to inspire the youth of Afghanistan, my homeland. I hope this painting expands and feeds their minds and lifts their spirits.
For those who might travel to Kabul and want to visit the Wall, here is how they can get there:
Every person on the streets of Kabul knows where Lake Qhargha is. It takes fifteen minutes from the city center to get to Lake Qhargha. On weekends specially summer nights there are thousands of people who travel to this Lake. You can camp outside, play golf, (although it was still under works..it had no grass yet), swim in the turqoise blue water of the lake or have a picinic by the calm waves. You can see fishes deep under the clear water of the lake even from hundred feet above. Above and around the Lake there are restaruants, villas and beautiful green trees and flowers.In the near distance all around you can see tall snow peak mountains and skies that fade into the horizon with out limits!!
Afghan American Peace Corp is a non profit that is geared towards bridging the gaps of communication between east and west thru art. In 2006, as the newly appointed president of the Peace Corp, I decided to create a work of Art that would inspire the youth of Afghanistan. I wanted something that would expand and feed their mind and lift their spirit. I proposed the idea to all the directors of the peace corp. I worked deligently for the next two months and came up with lots of sketches, ideas and concepts.
We flew to Kabul with those sketches and met with all the city officials, including the mayor, and the governor. I gave them a detail presentation of what I wanted to do. Everyone loved the idea, and soon we were taken on a tour of Kabul to find the perfect wall. We spent the next week scouting around the city, and the nearby four boroughs of Kabul to find the perfect wall. Unfortunately there was a bomb explosion few days later which raised the level of concern for my security and those who would be working with us. We were informed by the mayor's office that our plans would have to be put on hold.
One of the city officials suggested of perhaps painting someplace outside the main city center, like Qhargha. As soon as I heard the name I jumped at the idea. Lake Qhargha is one of the most beautiful places where all the citizens of Kabul go during summer time. There are high peak mountains, flowing rivers, and lots of green trees. It is also famous amongst the youth of Kabul who go there for picnic. We headed to Lake Qhargha and the whole process of getting permissions and approving sketches began once again.
Some of my sketches which had faces of people were rejected, due to possible outlash by fudementalist groups. And finally, Fulll Moon was selected as the final piece that was approved by everyone. Once the sketch was approved and selected, it was time to find the perfect wall.
There was one problem with this plan. There was no wall to paint on in Qhargha. So a new proposal had to be written for errecting a new wall for Full Moon. Once this plan was approved and the site agreed upon, we got the builders and the engineers to work together and finish the structure in a timely fashion. It was important to have a structure that would sustain harsh winds, and movement of the ground.
The workers used over 3000 bricks and two tons of rocks to make the Wall.
I spent many days tring to find the perfect tone of blue for the night sky. I studied the moon. Lucky for me, it was the Full Moon a few days before I got on the scafolding to paint, so it was a treat to view it in the night sky in Kabul City.
After many days of walking up and down the mountain, the painting was finally finished. And I was relieved. But also nervous because I didn't know how it would be received by the citizens of Kabul City.
And now a year and half later, I am happy to report that Full Moon has been received with great praise and honor by everyone in Kabul. Most of the local Television and radio programs have covered the story of Full Moon. And it is rumored, although I am not sure, that Mr. Karzai has also visited the wall in Kabul!
This is a video that was shot capturing the Creation of Full Moon. Hope you enjoy. If you don't see the video below, you can watch the Creation of Full Moon on YouTube.
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