East-West Divan

Exhibiting at the 2009 Venice Biennale, the East-West Divan was organised by Turquoise Mountain, a cultural and heritage organisation based in Afghanistan, and presented works by ten artists from Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan. Curated by Jemima Montagu, the pavillion displayed a variety of disciplines ranging from miniature painting to installation works in an attempt to highlight something other than the stereotypes of terrorisim and extremism the regions it represented are so often associated with.

Interview by Jean Wainwright

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