5TH WHEEL FRONT LIVING ROOM

After: BBC, NPR, Lonely Planet

In Afghanistan, the keeping of birds as pets has long been a popular pastime.

In an alley off an alley off an alley in Kabul, one market fills what seems to be a deep need for many Afghans. It sells birds of nearly every variety, from canaries to doves to the birds of prey that Afghans love most.

It is one of the oldest quarters of the Afghan capital, Kabul, where a bazaar that caters especially to bird-keepers is located.

The bazaar is known as Ka Farushi - the "Hay Market"

Ka Farushi is a narrow lane, lined with ramshackle mud brick buildings.

It is located in a dusty quarter next to the Old City's Blue Mosque, near the main bridge across the Kabul River.

This part of the city is a warren of tiny lanes where no cars can penetrate, so the air is filled only with the melodious sound of birdsong.

In tiny open-fronted shops, shopkeepers sell canaries, bulbuls (nightingales), budgerigars and other songbirds.

Fighting birds are also popular among Afghans and there are hundreds here for sale - big fighting partridges and smaller fighting quails.

The men will bet on the outcome of the coming fight, with bets sometimes rising to thousands of afghanis (local currency).

While some shopkeepers here depend on their earnings to make a living, others - particularly the younger men and boys - often see it as a hobby.

Keeping pigeons is popular - the graceful wheeling and circling of flocks at dusk is a common sight in every Afghan city.

Entering Kabul’s bird market is like stepping back in time a hundred years, to a corner of the city untouched by war or modernisation. Also known as the Alley of Straw Sellers, it’s tucked away behind the Pul-e Khishti Mosque, lined with stalls and booths selling birds by the dozen, plus the occasional rabbit. King of all the birds on sale is the kowk (fighting partridge). These are prized by their owners who lavish great care on them, and keep them in domed wicker cages that are almost works of art in themselves.

Kowk are fought on Friday mornings in quick bouts of strength (the birds are too valuable to allow them to be seriously harmed), with spectators gambling on the result. Their highly territorial nature also lets them act as decoys for hunters, attracting potential rivals who end up in the pot. Similar to the kowk is the budana, a small lark-like bird. These are also fought, especially among Kandaharis. Unbelievably, their small size means that their owner frequently keeps them tucked in his trousers, bringing them out for contest and display. More benign are the myriad canaries and finches, kept simply for their song. At the far end of the bazaar are the kaftar (doves), a common sight in Kabul’s late afternoon skies.

art prize 2011 grand rapids at night artprize

Raymond Vandamme
Artist bio
From my earliest memories as a child, I can recall my Mother continually saying, “Never give up on your art”. That encouragement has remained with me throughout my life. Her vision for what she saw in me, has become my own, and has led me here to Grand Rapids.
After attending The College for Creative Studies, under the instruction of Professor Jay Holland, my passion for sculpture became galvanized.
It was at this junction in my life I truly understood what my purpose in life is all about. This is what God has gifted me to do.
Throughout the past 25 years I have exhibited in a variety of shows, both juried and non and accepted various private and public commissions. The most recent of these is the “Spiral”, a freestanding tribute to the reunion of East and West Mexican Village in 2010. A select number of my designs have been commercially produced, embracing my whimsical side and love for nature.
About the work
Title: "Perseverance"

Art form: 3-D

Medium: Recycled, re-used, re-purposed

Year created: 2011

Description of work: This piece is an exploration of the human will to press forward in the face of adversity and failure. I use the human form to express the determination, passion and tenacity of those who absolutely refuse to quit. As an artist, I find the opportunity to express emotion through gesture and expression, one of the most rewarding forms of communication there is. Perseverance serves as an icon for all, to be reminded that success is measured by our willingness to try again when everything else says "quit".
Height: 18 feet
Width: 12 feet
Depth: 12 feet