An Evening with Sara Barackzay, Afghanistan's First Female Animator and Illustrator

What is the purpose of art and how does its practice connect to lived experience? How can the visual arts inspire individuals and effect positive change in the world? In this presentation, Green College’s inaugural John Grace Memorial Animator in Residence, Sara Barackzay, will demonstrate the real world impact of these questions through a discussion of her artistic works and processes.

Sara will begin by giving a short demonstration of her animation process before discussing selected works from her oeuvre, including animation projects, paintings and an upcoming graphic novel. She will touch on how the events of her life have directed and inspired her work, and how she understands art as an agent of social change. At the conclusion of her talk, Sara will reflect on where she thinks the next phase of her artistic career may take her.

Tea and coffee will be available in the Piano Lounge of Graham House at 4:30 pm.

Sara Barackzay is the John Grace Memorial Animator in Residence at Green College.

Sara's art has been exhibited around the world, including in Afghanistan, Germany, Turkey, India, Australia, Canada and the US. She has illustrated children’s books for UNICEF and private publishers, and her designs have been featured on Afghan clothing. She taught physics and art at the Afghan Turk Girls’ School in Herat and was a mentor for the Afghan Girls’ Robotics Team. Sara has been interviewed by The Guardian, El Pais, and the Khaleej Times, and her art and story have appeared in over twenty international periodicals.

To learn more about Sara's life and work, see her full profile on our Invited Residencies page.