Immigrants have become one of the social issues emerging in various countries. Conflicts, wars, and poverty are among the factors behind the high number of immigrants within a community.
Addressing this issue, Mumtaz Khan Chopan captures the stories of these immigrants through art.
During a parallel session of The 20th International Association for the Study of Forced Migration Conference 2025 on Wednesday (Jan. 22) at UGM’s Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB UGM), Chopan shared how his work is based on his personal experience as an immigrant.
His work in the Museum of Shredded Memories explores the emotional situations experienced by forced immigrant groups—those who were forced to leave their homeland when their country became uninhabitable.
Chopan managed to assemble various relics of immigrants, such as destroyed documents, photographs, and abandoned clothing, into an installation that illustrates the horrors and trauma of immigrants.
“I capture their journey memories of moving from one place to another. I made it as chaotic as possible to depict the disorder of the situation,” Chopan explained.
He described an unforgettable feeling shared by nearly all immigrants—the feeling of insecurity, constantly needing shelter, and having to forget everything except their own and their families’ lives.
They were forced to leave their birthplace, separated from relatives, and even had to erase their identity to survive. Chopan, an artist born in Afghanistan who once became an immigrant in Pakistan, has memories deeply connected to his own work.
“I clearly remember when I came home from school, carrying a small notebook, and when I got home, my mother said we were going to Pakistan. I didn’t know anything and left the notebook at home,” Chopan recounted.
At that time, in 1999, Afghanistan was facing a civil conflict with the Taliban. Hundreds of people were killed, and Chopan’s small family was forced to flee to Pakistan. They lived in a refugee camp with 3 million other immigrants.
Gradually, Chopan became interested in art. Unfortunately, as an immigrant, he couldn’t attend art school in Pakistan, so he returned to Afghanistan to study art at Kabul University’s Faculty of Fine Art.
“Many people said I wouldn’t be able to get a job in the art field, even though my interest in art was very strong,” he added.
At one point, Chopan visited one of his cousin’s weddings in Afghanistan. When he got on the bus with a camera in hand, the people around him started to panic and tried to hide Chopan’s camera.
It turned out that at that time, the Taliban were actively searching for and killing journalists or anyone seen carrying a camera. He still remembers the fear and trauma of that moment to this day.
Chopan once worked as an IT and computer expert to find a job. He was quite skilled in that field but felt unfulfilled because he lacked a sense of purpose. He eventually returned to art and came to Indonesia to continue his work.
“Afghanistan doesn’t have an art space as large as Indonesia. I’m happy to be in this country to continue my hobby,” he said.
Although now living in Yogyakarta, Chopan continues to raise awareness of immigrants through his art.
Dr. Suzie Handayani, a lecturer in the Anthropology program at FIB UGM, also appreciates Chopan’s art for successfully portraying the experiences of immigrants through a collection of fragmented memories and relics.
Anyone who sees Chopan’s installations may experience deep sadness and trauma.
According to Dr. Handayani, Chopan’s work seems to draw viewers into a bleak political situation, with no welfare guarantee and silencing of voices.
“I’m impressed by how Chopan never tidies up his work; he leaves it in chaos, reflecting the real emotions of immigrants,” she said.
Author: Tasya
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya