It is with great pleasure and honour that I am announcing the acquisition by the Australian War Memorial of The Handkerchief Project (Making Marks) artworks for its Afghanistan collection.

The Australian War Memorial was historically a museum restricted to memorialising largely military personnel through artefacts, artworks and experiences related to the armed forces.

While the AWM states its purpose is to commemorate the sacrifice of those Australians who have died in war, referring mostly to the armed forces and medical personnel, its current approach, supported by its contemporary curators, is to exhibit and archive narratives and artworks that will “assist Australians to remember, interpret and understand the Australian experience of war and its enduring impact on Australian society”. https://www.awm.gov.au/about/organisation

As a country whose military was significantly involved in the Afghanistan conflicts over the past 20 years, it is necessary for the public to reflect on the repercussions of that involvement on both Afghans and Australians.

We see our Handkerchief Project (Making Marks) and its artworks as a living testament to the connections made between civilian women in Australia and Afghanistan, and the humanity of each, as well as to a desire to keep memory and knowledge alive. It voices a shared cry for peace.

We believe the project is a breakthrough addition to the AWM as it presents such a large collection of women’s perspectives – non-military perspectives – and the creativity of collective purpose through individual voices.