The Illuminations

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Afghanistan

Beyond Genocide #1, completed 2003.

This illumination primarily explores two periods of history where mass annihilation of human life and cultural heritage has taken place in the region of the world now known as Afghanistan. The first episode of mass slaughter examined for this manuscript occurred during the Mongol conquests of the 13th century. In 1219, Genghis Khan and his Mongol warriors completely and permanently transformed the social fabric of ancient Afghanistan with mass slaughter and subjugation of kingdoms and empires which spanned the globe from Germany to Korea.

The second period of mass annihilation and conquest explored artistically begins with the Soviet invasion in 1979, and the atrocities of this 10-year occupation. Modern Afghan history is also interpreted artistically with observations illuminating the rise of the Taliban military organization within the country, their destruction of historic cultural monuments and their violent oppression of women in modern Afghani society.