AIEL. Courtesy of Aya Shalkar.
Sometimes all it takes is to be brave. To speak up so that other people may feel seen. This is exactly what Kazakhstan-born Vienna-based artist Aya Shalkar did in order to make women around the world challenge the views and traditions of conservative societies. By dedicating her graduate project AIEL to women’s lives and rights in Kazakhstan and Central Asia, the 24-year-old graphic designer sparks new and often “forbidden” conversations about oppression in her homeland.
Born in the midst of the pandemic, what was initially planned as an exhibition evolved into six videos, shot on iPhone and manipulated with AR graphics, featuring Shalkar herself. Covering everything from forced marriage and domestic abuse, to sexism and workplace discrimination, AIEL—which is the Kazakh word for “woman”—questions bygone traditions by using ethnic references from Central Asia and clashing Instagram aesthetics to spread much-needed awareness.
“What’s interesting to me is that the oppression of women in Kazakhstan often ends up being practised in the disguise of ‘tradition’,” says Shalkar,who maintains a strong connection to her roots and culture. It’s no secret, however, that Kazakhstan’s society is quite conservative. “Half of Kazakhstan’s population believes women don’t belong in positions of power and should be excluded from political and economical conversations,” she notes. “There is even a proverb in Kazakh saying ‘A movement started by a woman is destined to fail’.”
Although Shalkar was born into a progressive family who never shamed her for being who she is, dressing a certain way or studying abroad, unfortunately, many girls in Kazakhstan and in neighbouring countries grow up in much more oppressive environments, especially in rural areas. “For centuries, before Kazakhstan joined the Soviet Union, girls were not allowed to go to school or get any kind of higher education,” says Shalkar. “It surely created an imbalance in the perception of female abilities, but times have changed and today women in my country are more likely to have a degree compared to men.”
There is and always has been a huge pressure on girls and women to behave in a decorous fashion, no matter what country. It’s a fact that reflects the feedback of AIEL thus far. The majority of comments express gratitude that the campaign is shining a light on women’s experiences of discrimination and sexism, but still, there has been some backlash—mostly from men—who refuse to understand that not all traditions need to be maintained, especially if they put someone’s basic rights at stake. “I believe we must constantly question the old ways and their relevance in our times,” says Shalkar. “And if that means giving up some of them, we should not hesitate to put them on the history bookshelf. There are many other beautiful traditions that can be practised to preserve our culture.”
Women from Central Asia are often immensely underestimated and underrepresented in many aspects, which is one of many reasons why the project is so important. “We have a rich history of many generations of strong and brilliant women, who often happen to be silenced by stigma and oppression,” explains Shalkar. “From our great-grandmas who survived the hardest times to strong modern women nailing so many of today’s challenges—I am proud to be a Kazakh woman and to carry that heritage with me, while consciously doing my part to shape the future we are heading towards too.”