Youssof Kohzad
Encyclopedia
Youssof Kohzad (also spelled as Youssef Kohzad) (born 1935) is an ethnic Tajik
writer
, painter
, playwright
, artist
, poet
, actor
, and art consultant from Afghanistan. He has now taken residence in Tracy, California
, United States
since his emigration
from Afghanistan
. He is married to Zakia Kohzad
.
, India
and former Eastern Germany
to exhibit his art along with other contemporary Afghan artists. Many of his works are showcased in the Middle Eastern Studies museums in Moscow
.
From 1966-1969 he held executive positions at the Ministry of Media and Culture, in which he was the head of the Fine Arts Department.
In 1971 he became the art consultant of Kabul Theater. He wrote eight dramas and all were played on stage. In many of the plays, he played the lead role.
In 1975 he returned to the Ministry of Media and Culture and held the position as the president of the ministry until 1992.
In 1976, he founded the National Gallery
in Kabul, which included 700 paintings, and some work dating back a hundred years. Unfortunately, out of the 700 works of art only 30 remain today.
From 1992 until August 2000, Kohzad became a refugee along with his family and was forced to immigrate to India. In August 2000, he moved to the USA and has been residing in Northern California
since then. His first art exhibit in the USA was held in August 2001 in Palo Alto.
Tajiks
Tajik is a general designation for a wide range of Persian-speaking people of Iranic origin, with traditional homelands in present-day Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan...
writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, painter
Painting
Painting is the practice of applying paint, pigment, color or other medium to a surface . The application of the medium is commonly applied to the base with a brush but other objects can be used. In art, the term painting describes both the act and the result of the action. However, painting is...
, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, poet
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
, and art consultant from Afghanistan. He has now taken residence in Tracy, California
Tracy, California
Tracy is the second most populated city in San Joaquin County, California, United States and an exurb of the San Francisco Bay Area. The population was 82,922 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
since his emigration
Emigration
Emigration is the act of leaving one's country or region to settle in another. It is the same as immigration but from the perspective of the country of origin. Human movement before the establishment of political boundaries or within one state is termed migration. There are many reasons why people...
from Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
. He is married to Zakia Kohzad
Zakia Kohzad
Zakia Kohzad is a former TV news anchor for Kabul TV. Zakia was born in Mazar-e-Sharif, Afghanistan. By 1988, Zakia had secured a job as an anchor on Kabul TV. In 1992, she and her family emigrated to India and, subsequently in 2000, to the United States. She resides in exile in California,...
.
Background
Youssef Kohzad was born in 1935 in the Chendawol district of Kabul, Afghanistan. During his high school years, he wrote plays and created artwork for Kabul Theater. Kohzad graduated from Nejat (Amani) High School in Kabul in 1953. He finished his formal art education from the Academy of Art in Rome, Italy in 1965. After returning from Italy, he traveled to the former Soviet UnionSoviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
and former Eastern Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to exhibit his art along with other contemporary Afghan artists. Many of his works are showcased in the Middle Eastern Studies museums in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
.
From 1966-1969 he held executive positions at the Ministry of Media and Culture, in which he was the head of the Fine Arts Department.
In 1971 he became the art consultant of Kabul Theater. He wrote eight dramas and all were played on stage. In many of the plays, he played the lead role.
In 1975 he returned to the Ministry of Media and Culture and held the position as the president of the ministry until 1992.
In 1976, he founded the National Gallery
National gallery
The National Gallery is an art gallery on Trafalgar Square, London, United Kingdom.National Gallery may also refer to:*Armenia: National Gallery of Armenia, Yerevan*Australia:**National Gallery of Australia, Canberra...
in Kabul, which included 700 paintings, and some work dating back a hundred years. Unfortunately, out of the 700 works of art only 30 remain today.
From 1992 until August 2000, Kohzad became a refugee along with his family and was forced to immigrate to India. In August 2000, he moved to the USA and has been residing in Northern California
Northern California
Northern California is the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The San Francisco Bay Area , and Sacramento as well as its metropolitan area are the main population centers...
since then. His first art exhibit in the USA was held in August 2001 in Palo Alto.
Works
- Aspects of Beauty in Art
- Kohzad: A collection of Poetry
- When God Created Beauty