The Symbolism in Shamsia Hassani’s Murals: Women, Silence, and Imagination

Shamsia Hassani’s symbolism lies at the heart of her murals, transforming walls into poetic reflections on resilience, silence, and imagination. The Afghan artist, widely recognised as the country’s first female graffiti artist, has developed a distinctive visual language centred on a recurring female figure: a woman with closed eyes, no mouth, and often holding a musical instrument.

Hassani emerged in Kabul in 2010, at a time when public art created by women was almost unheard of. Born to Afghan parents in Iran and later returning to Afghanistan to study fine art at Kabul University, she began using graffiti to transform the war-scarred walls of the city into spaces of colour, reflection, and imagination.

Following the fall of Kabul in 2021 and the return of the Taliban, Hassani left Afghanistan and is now based in Los Angeles. Despite the distance, her work remains deeply connected to the experiences of Afghan women and girls whose lives continue to be shaped by conflict and social restrictions.

At the centre of her murals is this recurring female figure, whose symbolism has become instantly recognisable. The woman often appears with closed eyes, no mouth, and a musical instrument in her hands. Through this character, Hassani has created a powerful visual language that explores silence, resilience, imagination, and the search for hope.

Understanding the Symbolism in Shamsia Hassani’s Murals

These elements are never merely decorative. They operate as symbols that reflect the emotional and social realities experienced by many people in Afghanistan. Through this central figure, Hassani expresses both limitation and strength. The character cannot speak yet finds another voice through music. Her eyes remain closed to an uncertain future, yet she continues to imagine it.

Across Hassani’s work, recurring motifs such as drifting dandelions, migrating birds, and musical instruments create a poetic visual vocabulary. Together these symbols evoke dreams, displacement, and the enduring human longing for peace.

The Woman as a Universal Figure

At the centre of Hassani’s work is a female character who appears across murals, paintings, and digital compositions. While the figure represents a woman, she also embodies broader human experiences.

Hassani chose a female form because women in Afghanistan often face stronger social limitations. Through this character she is able to explore those realities while also expressing empathy, strength, and resilience. The figure becomes both personal and universal, representing individuals navigating difficult social environments.

Closed Eyes and the Power of Imagination

One of the most striking aspects of Hassani’s characters is their closed eyes. The gesture reflects emotional and psychological distance from the surrounding world.

The closed eyes suggest a refusal to focus on painful realities, while also pointing to imagination as a space of possibility. Even when the future appears uncertain, the character retains an inner world that cannot be taken away. In this way, imagination becomes resistance.

The Silent Mouth

Another defining feature of Hassani’s figures is the absence of a mouth. The character cannot speak in a conventional way, reflecting the experience of people whose voices are constrained by social or political structures.

Yet the silence in Hassani’s work is never passive. Instead, the murals transform silence into another form of expression through symbolism and imagery.

Music as a Voice

To replace spoken language, Hassani often places musical instruments in the hands of her characters. Guitars, pianos, and other instruments become metaphors for voice and communication.

Music allows the character to express what cannot be said openly. The instrument amplifies her presence, suggesting that creativity and art can carry messages that transcend silence.

Through this symbolism, Hassani shows how artistic expression can become a powerful form of communication.

Education and the Symbolism of Knowledge

Another layer within Hassani’s visual language relates to knowledge and education. In several murals, elements such as paper, books, or instruments made from pages appear within the composition, suggesting the power of learning and expression.

These motifs carry particular weight when considered alongside the current realities in Afghanistan, where more than two million girls are denied access to secondary education.

Within this context, the imagery of paper and music takes on deeper meaning. It evokes the idea that knowledge, creativity, and imagination remain powerful forms of voice, even when opportunities for formal education are restricted.

Dandelions and the Language of Dreams

Dandelions frequently appear in Hassani’s compositions, floating through the air like fragile seeds. These delicate forms represent wishes, dreams, and hope.

The drifting seeds evoke the act of making a wish, but they also suggest movement and transformation. As the seeds travel, they carry the possibility of new beginnings.

Within Hassani’s paintings, the dandelion becomes a quiet symbol of resilience and the persistence of wishes and dreams even in difficult circumstances.

Birds and the Idea of Migration

In her series Birds of No Nation, Hassani explores the idea of migration and displacement. The imagery draws parallels between human movement and migratory birds searching for safer environments.

The concept reflects the experiences of many people who leave their homes in search of peace, security, or opportunity. Through this metaphor, Hassani highlights both the sadness and the resilience associated with migration.

A Character That Carries Many Stories

The woman who appears throughout Hassani’s work functions almost like a recurring character in a film. In each mural she plays a slightly different role, expressing new emotions and narratives.

Sometimes she represents strength, sometimes displacement, and sometimes the fragile hope of imagining a better future. Through this evolving character, Hassani’s murals create a visual story that unfolds across cities and continents.

A Visual Language of Resilience

Across Kabul and cities around the world, Shamsia Hassani’s murals transform walls into spaces of reflection. Through symbolism, colour, and scale, her work speaks about resilience, identity, and the power of imagination, especially during ‘Dreaming Graffiti’.

The silent woman at the centre of her work may have closed eyes and no mouth, yet her presence is unmistakably powerful. Through music, dreams, and movement, she continues to communicate stories that resonate far beyond the walls she inhabits.

Discover original works by Shamsia Hassani available through GraffitiStreet. A selection of her pieces can be viewed at our gallery in Chichester, England as part of the upcoming exhibition Urban Equinox, opening 20th March 2026.

You can also contact us directly to enquire about available artworks or private viewings.

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