What: Art Exhibition, Reception and Slide Presentation
Where: San Antonio Public Library Gallery and Auditorium
Exhibition: Thursday, April 21- June 5, 2005

The San Antonio Public Library proudly presents professional photographer Peggy Kelsey sharing her exhibit, Women of Afghanistan, Portraits and Stories at the Central Library Gallery, 600 Soledad Street. There will be an opening reception on Thursday, April 21, at 6:45 p.m., followed by a slide presentation at 7:30 p.m. The exhibit will run through June 5.

Peggy Kelsey was inspired to begin the Afghan Women’s Project after meeting with a delegation of Afghan women who passed through Austin, Texas, during the fall of 2002. She was amazed at how strong and full of life the women were in spite of the difficulties they had been through. This was contrary to the image of Afghan women as helpless victims sometimes portrayed in the media. One of the project’s goals was to seek wisdom and strength from these women who had experienced such repression and hardship. Merging her love of photography with her interest in human psychology, Peggy brings the lives and stories of these remarkable women to us in the West.

Following the reception on April 21, there will be a slide presentation, Spirit of Afghanistan, which will present scenes from the places Peggy visited around Afghanistan, including Taloqan in the north, Herat in the west, and Bamyian, where centuries-old Buddhist sculptures were destroyed by the Taliban. There will be a section on the woman's prison in Kabul, and another on schools and other images that will give the viewer an idea of what the city is like. Maps and aerial shots will offer a sense of place and geography. One of Peggy's aims for the presentation is to dispel several myths about the country and society; she will discuss the difference between Islamic fundamentalism and traditionalism, stereotypes about Islam, Afghan men, the burqa, and more. She will also give a brief history of the country as well as the issues related to its development. Interspersed throughout the program will be the faces and stories of some of the amazing women she met. She would like her viewers to come away with an appreciation of the complexity of the country and the notion that whatever any of us have experienced or know about the area, it is only a small part of reality. For more information about Women of Afghanistan, Portraits and Stories, contact Peggy Kelsey at 512-799-5915 or at peggy@kelseys.net.

The San Antonio Central Library’s Gallery is used to the support the Library’s mission “to inform, educate, and entertain and culturally enrich…”. All events associated with this exhibit are free and open to the public. For more information on the San Antonio Public Library Gallery, please call 207-2500. One-hour free parking is available at the San Antonio Central Library with validated ticket.