Afghan exhibit at Met in NYC till Sept 20th

I saw this exhibit of art from the Kabul national Museum, curated by National Geographic last summer at the National Gallery in DC... its now at the Met in NYC. I really recommend seeing it if you can, both because of the gorgeous work in the collection, and the incredible story it represents.

This exhibition highlights the amazing rediscovery of the Silk Road treasures from Central Asia, thought to have been lost during decades of warfare and turmoil in Afghanistan. These masterpieces of the Kabul Museum collection remained hidden for twenty-five years, thanks to the heroism of the Kabul Museam's staff, who had secretly crated them and placed them in the vaults of the Central bank in the presidential palace. It was only in 2004 that the crates were opened to reveal that these wrks had survived intact.

A couple of my favorite images, reproduced on the Met's website are below:


Indian influenced scuplture from the 1st or 2nd century CE


Goldwork clasp showing the greek god Eros with local Afghan fish motif, 1st-2nd cent CE

Plaster cast of a Hellonistic style medalion of a youth 1st-2nd century CE

These three items demonstrate the range of styles and influences that is common in the art of the exhibit, and goes a long way to demonstrating some of the unique cultural confluences that occured in Afghani history.