Today we’d like to introduce you to Zahra Sayeed.
Hi Zahra, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I’m Zahra Sayeed, 24 years old, an Afghan professional artist and entrepreneur – co-founder and CEO of Hexa. This team consists of my four sisters and me, and we do many works related to fine arts. I was born in Afghanistan, but I lived between Dubai and my home country due to my father’s job requirements. I want to share with you how the power of art fueled my will to live.
I cannot tell you about the first time I fell in love with art because I don’t remember; it must have been born with me. It’s in every breath I take, in every heartbeat of mine, and I feel it with every touch I make.
I say this because I never went to school to learn how to draw, paint, or study art History.
Everything I know is self-taught.
As early as middle school, I would hold calligraphy and art classes between our school breaks. Students and teachers would come to learn the art.
Later, in 2017 we (I and my sisters) officially created the HZN Art team (Homaira, Zahra, and Nilofar Sayeed). We started selling artwork online by taking portrait orders from our customers. In 2018 we moved out of Dubai and returned to Afghanistan. Our online orders kept coming, and HZN became a household name in Afghanistan.
So, we opened our own art studio/workshop in Kabul city, which was another big step toward reaching our dreams. In 2019 we were able to develop more and establish our artistic coffee shop, named HZN Café.
The addition of a coffee shop within HZN Art Shop Combined both the social and the artistic elements of our daily needs. It was more of an escape from the depressing daily horrors and the bitter Atmosphere of the country. At HZN, people would enjoy a good cup of coffee in a calm artistic environment surrounded by the inspiring artwork of the gallery.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Starting a business was both bold and risky in Afghanistan. Unlike men, women did not have the freedom to decide for themselves. There are ancient social, cultural, and religious restrictions. In Kabul, women, especially single young women, did not work independently outside their homes.
Apart from the above obstacles, people were not familiar with or accepting of “Art” and were far from understanding cultural values. It was a mystery that we had to unfold cautiously. The concept of drinking coffee was also new to the people of Afghanistan.
Overall, this was a great difficulty reforming people’s mindset to accept that women can work independently and introduce new things to the people of Afghanistan.
But my sisters and I were lucky to have our family’s support. We will always be grateful for their love, trust, and encouragement. Surrounded by a society of people who are sadly left 1000 years behind in a modern world due to wars and conflicts, our family allowed us as women to revolt and rise against the unjust notions of women’s role in society. Also, our work was full of passion and love; therefore, we were growing faster than our expectations.
For us being afraid is not an option because we have a high drive to accomplish our goals and achieve our dreams. We are also very interested in being actively involved and sympathetic to people’s challenges. We want our positive energy to spread all around us and show enthusiasm and affection as we work. Therefore, we work relentlessly and crossed every roadblock in our way. For building our career, keeping it improving, and reaching our higher goals, we always tried to be patient and persevere when facing the difficulties which were, of course, a lot in an undeveloped, misogynic, and patriarchal country like Afghanistan. We always tried to pave the way for others as well.
As the world knows, the Taliban seized the power in August 2022 after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, and it turned our lives upside down. People were displaced, women were deprived of their work, education, and other rights, women defenders were arrested and even killed, people died from hunger and other cases, and arts and music were suppressed; overall, the catastrophes of the national collapse cast a shadow all over the country, and it continues.
The only thing that remained alive inside us was enthusiasm and hopes to continue our goals. We wanted to still be able to do arts, inspire and empower women, and fight for their freedom. So, after a great breakage and long break from work, we absorbed our determination, and after a fall, we prepared ourselves to fly higher and stronger. HZN’s three-member group now has developed into Hexa, which is also consisting of new skilled members, Arya and Mina Sayeed; it is now more diverse and has interesting activities on the way.
A year later, I came to Texas! Today, I’m experiencing a better life in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex!
Thanks – so, what else should our readers know about Hexa (former name: HZN)?
Our HZN was truly one of a kind.
First, we were a group of women entrepreneurs in a country where women couldn’t freely dream.
Second, we created a platform for other women (from different walks of life) to freely express themselves through the arts and to persist without judgments or limitations.
Third, we created different opportunities for women, like they could learn the art with no cost and they were able to sell their artwork at the workshop or our online boutique will if they chose to.
Fourth, we were offering diverse services, such as fine arts and design, art classes, art stationery, etc., different art styles, and different quality of work.
Fifth, with the addition of a coffee shop to HZN in 2019, we developed a unique business brand that was distinct from anything like it in all of Afghanistan.
After that, we became more popular among people and media outlets. We appeared on TV shows and radio stations to talk about our new brand and empower women. For instance, during our inauguration ceremony, Tolo News, a popular TV station in Afghanistan, prepared a report that “Three sisters came back to Afghanistan after 20 years and for attracting domestic investments and creating job opportunities, they made a café and an art environment”.
What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I enjoy the vast culture and atmosphere this beautiful state has to offer. Only in Texas I can find cowboy hats and Japanese Kimonos in the same shopping mall! One day it will be 80 degrees, and the next day below freezing. Texas is home to rodeos, cowboys, armadillos, prickly pears, and sunflowers. The people’s hearts here are as warm as the sun in the middle of July. In a deeper sense, I see that freedom is alive and well here!
There are also things that are not pleasant to me in Dallas. For instance, homeless people who are staying on the streets are very painful to see, and amount of fires that happen in short intervals on every corner. And the third thing, I know it is not nice to say because it is an ancient culture in this land and I do respect it, but as an animal lover, I feel sad when I see so many animals’ taxidermy everywhere, in houses, malls, etc. However, the good things about this beautiful city are far more than disturbing! I enjoy being here very much.
There are many artistic places and museums like the Kimbell Art Museum, Dallas Museum of Art, Nasher Sculpture Center, etc., which I find inspiring and cannot wait to visit more of them. I also want to get more acquainted with the different art styles belonging to this land and discover more about it.
As an artist, I am looking forward to a completely different experience in making art in this state and this city!
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hexafinearts/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063442820552
