++ AMANULLAH PARSA ++

AMANULLAH PARSA was born in Kabul, Afghanistan on December 27, 1933. He lived in his native city until age twenty-six and attended the combination classical-scientific State high school of Kabul. He then began teaching in elementary and middle schools in Kabul until he was transferred to Kandahar for a special work-shop at the Ahmad Shah Baba high school where he taught drawing and handwriting until 1956; he later returned to Kabul and studied law for one year at the state university. In 1959 he moved to Rome, after winning a six year scholarship for artistic studies awarded by the Italian government (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), where he received his Diploma in 1965 with very high marks, from the Accademia di Belle Arti ( Academy of Fine Arts) in Rome .

During this same period he attended the following courses:

Graphic art for advertising, artistic decoration and fresco techniques at the Istituto di Arte Ornamentale San Giacomo (San Giacomo Institute of Ornamental Art) in Rome;
Cinematic scenography at the C.I.A.C. Centre Italiano Addestramento Cinematografico ( Italian Center for Cinematic Training) (Don Orione opera house in Rome in 1965);
Criticism of contemporary art, museography at the school of letters of the University in Rome;
Sculpture, until the third year of the course, at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera (Brera Accademy of Fine Arts) in Milan and in 1965 he gave his first personal show as a painter, sponsored by the Ambassador to Afghanistan in Rome at the Gallena Anthea on Via del Babuino.

From 1966 to 1976 he lived once again in Kabul where he worked as a professor of graphic art and drawing at the State University at Kabul (a course in Architecture at the School of Engineering and a course in recreational painting and drawing at the School of Letters, as well as a course in modelling precious stones - lapis-lazuli and alabaster - at a studio sponsored by the Ministry of Minerals in Kabul). During this period he also designed many stamps for the Afghan government (Postmaster General) along with advertising graphics for Afghan rugs and astrakhan for the Commerce Ministry. Mr. Parsa wrote the course outline for a sketching and freehand drawing class for the School of Architecture along with that for a recreational painting course. For six years he was a professor at the School of Architecture, along with other professors from the Colombia group ( U.S.A.), and privately taught painting and drawing to the wife of the director of the Colombia group, Doctor Nonkivel.He worked as scenographer, decorator and poster designer for a theater (Pohane Nendare) in Kabul and made a scenographic panel for the Don Orione theater/opera house in Rome .He decorated the main dining hall for the Christmas 1961 inauguration of the C.I.V.I.S Casa Internazionale dello studente (International student center) in Rome.He painted three works on canvass for the Grand Hotel Intercontinental in Kabul and 25 works on wood (220 cm. X 150 cm.) in bas-relief for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul.

In 1967 he designed the logo for the School of Engineering at the State Universtiy at Kabul and wrote two plays for the City of Kabul theater.

He has modeled many bas-relief sculptures in marble:

a portrait of the important Afghan scientist Ebne Sina which was eihibited in the Delhi Palace of Art ( India );
first prize in the category of papier-mache sculpture for a 60cm. high work depicting King Shah Mahmud Hotac at the Kabul Salone Ete' in 1950;
first prize (out of two thousand Afghan contestants) in painting from the National Painting Competition (Salon Ete') in Kabul in 1952.

Magazines and newspapers in Kabul such as Erfan and Mermon, monthly editions of the Ministry of Public Education newsletter as well as that of the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation and the newspaper Pamin, produced by the City of Kabul , have often featured his art works, literary articles, translations of French poems, "cliche rebus", drawings and paintings. In 1972 he won a second scholarship offered by the Italian Government (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to perfect his command of the Italian language and returned to Perugia with his wife and son where he attended the Italian language university for foreigners for 9 months. In the meantime his works were exhibited at Assisi's Galleria Comunale (City Art Gallery ) and. On 12/16/72, he donated one of his works to their collection. On 3/26/73 he gave a personal show at the Galleria Cecchini in Perugia and on 4/18/73 gave another personal show at the Galleria Leonardo on Via De Amicis in Milan.

He has also participated in various national and international extemporary painting contests and received numerous medals and honorary mentions:

silver medal (11 Tempo) at the 1st International Extemporary Art Contest on 5/16/65 in Rome;
Lupa d'argento (Minister Andreotti) at the 6th edition of the International Extemporary Art competition on 5/29/65 in Mauritania;
silver medal, honorary mention on 3/1/62 - 3/15/63 - 11/20/64-3/15/65 in Rome ; honorary mention at the 1st International Exhibition of Extemporary Painting on 5/9/63 in Rome;
silver medal at the 2nd International Extemporary Painting Competition (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) C.I.V.I.S. in Cervara.
honorary mention at the International Extemporary Art Exhibition on 5/7/64 in Sabaudia;

Various newspapers, magazines and Italian radio and television programs have also featured his works:

Poliedro monthly art magazine on 11/1/65 in Rome;
the 6th International University Exhibition of Figurative Art on 3/16/66 in Rome;
the monthly auditorium of culture and information on 11/1/65 in Rome;
Settimana a Roma on 11/25/65 in Rome;
Pensiero Nazionale on 3/16/65 in Rome;
Corriere dell'Umbria for Italian RAI TV on 3/1/73;
La Notte on 4/14/83 in Milan;
Domemca on 6/5/83 in Milan;
La Notte on 5/26/83 in Milan;
Corriere della Sera on 4/2/88 in Milan;
La Repubblica on 4/26/88 in Milan;
Avvenire on 4/30/88 in Milan;
II Giorno on 4/26/88 in Milan;
Corriere della Sera on 5/10/88 in Milan;
Europeo on 5/6/88 in Milan;
RAI Meneghina on 4/26-27/88 in Milan;
Tele Lombardia on 4/26-27/88 in Milan;
The Associazione Nazionale Famiglia dei Fanciulli e Adulti Subnormali (the National Association of Families of Subnormal Children and Adults) on 5/8/85 in Milan;
Corriere Medico on 5/18/85 in Milan;
RAI 3 national radio and television on 5/18/85 in Milan;
the Petrofi Gallery on 6/17/89 in Milan;
the City of Bollate painting exhibition on 5/5/90;

Since February of 1977 he has been employed by the City of Milan (Milan City Council) to teach graphic art, drawing and painting at the Istituto Professionale Cova (Cova Professional Institute), painting and drawing in the studio on Via Linneo 5 to handicapped students as well as recreation courses for adults as part of the night school program sponsored by the City of Milan. In 1983, 1985 and 1988 three painting exhibits were held featuring several brain damaged young students of Mr. Parsa's courses who have made remarkable progress; three of these artists: Carlo Patellani, Claudio Ricca and Francesco Nayochi. Also participated in the International Art Festival for the Handicapped in Rome and in Milan at the Center for Handicapped Individuals, sponsored by the Kennedy Institute, where they won the two main prizes (gold and silver medals).

Mr. Parsa has been extremely successful at teaching handicapped youths and has received the following recognitions for this work:

Ambrogino d'oro (Department of Education of the City of Milan on 1/29/87;
Lyons Club Award from the Erba chapter;
Gold medal for his "Recreational" painting course at Via Linneo 5;
"Cova" gold medal for his specialization and recreational painting courses held at Via Linneo 5 in Milan;
Gold Award and Honorable Mention for his painting courses at the Cova School of Specialization

He is also the author of two books written in Italian: "Gli Sfidanti" (The Challengers) in 1985 and "Gli Amabili" (The Lovable Ones) in 1986.

His latest personal shows, exhibits of traditional Afghan and Italian paintings and recent accomplishments:

1990 exhibition in Alexandria, Virginia;
August 18, 1990 in Alexandria, Virginia;
collective exhibition of paintings coordinated Professor Parsa. Exhibition held May 25 - May 30, 1992 in Rome;
announcement of exhibition of paintings at the Congressional Hall of Honor Reserve Officer's Association in Washington D.C on May 21, 1994;
1995 charity art exhibition of various Afghan artists;
received U.S visa through his "extraordinary ability" status;
Exhibition at G.M.U (George Mason University) in Alexandria, Virginia - 1998;
website displaying his artwork and his accomplishments;
currently working on his artwork from his home gallery and studio;
teaching recreational course at Dublin Arts Council.



	AMANULLAH PARSA was born in Kabul, Afghanistan on December 27, 1933. He lived in his native city until age twenty-six and attended the combination classical-scientific State high school of Kabul. He then began teaching in elementary and middle schools in Kabul until he was transferred to Kandahar for a special work-shop at the Ahmad Shah Baba high school where he taught drawing and handwriting until 1956; he later returned to Kabul and studied law for one year at the state university. In 1959 he moved to Rome, after winning a six year scholarship for artistic studies awarded by the Italian government (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), where he received his Diploma in 1965 with very high marks, from the Accademia di Belle Arti ( Academy of Fine Arts) in Rome . During this same period he attended the following courses: Graphic art for advertising, artistic decoration and fresco techniques at the Istituto di Arte Ornamentale San Giacomo (San Giacomo Institute of Ornamental Art) in Rome; Cinematic scenography at the C.I.A.C. Centre Italiano Addestramento Cinematografico ( Italian Center for Cinematic Training) (Don Orione opera house in Rome in 1965); Criticism of contemporary art, museography at the school of letters of the University in Rome; Sculpture, until the third year of the course, at the Accademia di Belle Arti di Brera (Brera Accademy of Fine Arts) in Milan and in 1965 he gave his first personal show as a painter, sponsored by the Ambassador to Afghanistan in Rome at the Gallena Anthea on Via del Babuino. From 1966 to 1976 he lived once again in Kabul where he worked as a professor of graphic art and drawing at the State University at Kabul (a course in Architecture at the School of Engineering and a course in recreational painting and drawing at the School of Letters, as well as a course in modelling precious stones - lapis-lazuli and alabaster - at a studio sponsored by the Ministry of Minerals in Kabul). During this period he also designed many stamps for the Afghan government (Postmaster General) along with advertising graphics for Afghan rugs and astrakhan for the Commerce Ministry. Mr. Parsa wrote the course outline for a sketching and freehand drawing class for the School of Architecture along with that for a recreational painting course. For six years he was a professor at the School of Architecture, along with other professors from the Colombia group ( U.S.A.), and privately taught painting and drawing to the wife of the director of the Colombia group, Doctor Nonkivel.He worked as scenographer, decorator and poster designer for a theater (Pohane Nendare) in Kabul and made a scenographic panel for the Don Orione theater/opera house in Rome .He decorated the main dining hall for the Christmas 1961 inauguration of the C.I.V.I.S Casa Internazionale dello studente (International student center) in Rome.He painted three works on canvass for the Grand Hotel Intercontinental in Kabul and 25 works on wood (220 cm. X 150 cm.) in bas-relief for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kabul. In 1967 he designed the logo for the School of Engineering at the State Universtiy at Kabul and wrote two plays for the City of Kabul theater. He has modeled many bas-relief sculptures in marble: a portrait of the important Afghan scientist Ebne Sina which was eihibited in the Delhi Palace of Art ( India ); first prize in the category of papier-mache sculpture for a 60cm. high work depicting King Shah Mahmud Hotac at the Kabul Salone Ete' in 1950; first prize (out of two thousand Afghan contestants) in painting from the National Painting Competition (Salon Ete') in Kabul in 1952. Magazines and newspapers in Kabul such as Erfan and Mermon, monthly editions of the Ministry of Public Education newsletter as well as that of the Ministry of Tourism and Recreation and the newspaper Pamin, produced by the City of Kabul , have often featured his art works, literary articles, translations of French poems, "cliche rebus", drawings and paintings. In 1972 he won a second scholarship offered by the Italian Government (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to perfect his command of the Italian language and returned to Perugia with his wife and son where he attended the Italian language university for foreigners for 9 months. In the meantime his works were exhibited at Assisi's Galleria Comunale (City Art Gallery ) and. On 12/16/72, he donated one of his works to their collection. On 3/26/73 he gave a personal show at the Galleria Cecchini in Perugia and on 4/18/73 gave another personal show at the Galleria Leonardo on Via De Amicis in Milan. He has also participated in various national and international extemporary painting contests and received numerous medals and honorary mentions: silver medal (11 Tempo) at the 1st International Extemporary Art Contest on 5/16/65 in Rome; Lupa d'argento (Minister Andreotti) at the 6th edition of the International Extemporary Art competition on 5/29/65 in Mauritania; silver medal, honorary mention on 3/1/62 - 3/15/63 - 11/20/64-3/15/65 in Rome ; honorary mention at the 1st International Exhibition of Extemporary Painting on 5/9/63 in Rome; silver medal at the 2nd International Extemporary Painting Competition (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) C.I.V.I.S. in Cervara. honorary mention at the International Extemporary Art Exhibition on 5/7/64 in Sabaudia; Various newspapers, magazines and Italian radio and television programs have also featured his works: Poliedro monthly art magazine on 11/1/65 in Rome; the 6th International University Exhibition of Figurative Art on 3/16/66 in Rome; the monthly auditorium of culture and information on 11/1/65 in Rome; Settimana a Roma on 11/25/65 in Rome; Pensiero Nazionale on 3/16/65 in Rome; Corriere dell'Umbria for Italian RAI TV on 3/1/73; La Notte on 4/14/83 in Milan; Domemca on 6/5/83 in Milan; La Notte on 5/26/83 in Milan; Corriere della Sera on 4/2/88 in Milan; La Repubblica on 4/26/88 in Milan; Avvenire on 4/30/88 in Milan; II Giorno on 4/26/88 in Milan; Corriere della Sera on 5/10/88 in Milan; Europeo on 5/6/88 in Milan; RAI Meneghina on 4/26-27/88 in Milan; Tele Lombardia on 4/26-27/88 in Milan; The Associazione Nazionale Famiglia dei Fanciulli e Adulti Subnormali (the National Association of Families of Subnormal Children and Adults) on 5/8/85 in Milan; Corriere Medico on 5/18/85 in Milan; RAI 3 national radio and television on 5/18/85 in Milan; the Petrofi Gallery on 6/17/89 in Milan; the City of Bollate painting exhibition on 5/5/90; Since February of 1977 he has been employed by the City of Milan (Milan City Council) to teach graphic art, drawing and painting at the Istituto Professionale Cova (Cova Professional Institute), painting and drawing in the studio on Via Linneo 5 to handicapped students as well as recreation courses for adults as part of the night school program sponsored by the City of Milan. In 1983, 1985 and 1988 three painting exhibits were held featuring several brain damaged young students of Mr. Parsa's courses who have made remarkable progress; three of these artists: Carlo Patellani, Claudio Ricca and Francesco Nayochi. Also participated in the International Art Festival for the Handicapped in Rome and in Milan at the Center for Handicapped Individuals, sponsored by the Kennedy Institute, where they won the two main prizes (gold and silver medals). Mr. Parsa has been extremely successful at teaching handicapped youths and has received the following recognitions for this work: Ambrogino d'oro (Department of Education of the City of Milan on 1/29/87; Lyons Club Award from the Erba chapter; Gold medal for his "Recreational" painting course at Via Linneo 5; "Cova" gold medal for his specialization and recreational painting courses held at Via Linneo 5 in Milan; Gold Award and Honorable Mention for his painting courses at the Cova School of Specialization He is also the author of two books written in Italian: "Gli Sfidanti" (The Challengers) in 1985 and "Gli Amabili" (The Lovable Ones) in 1986. His latest personal shows, exhibits of traditional Afghan and Italian paintings and recent accomplishments: 1990 exhibition in Alexandria, Virginia; August 18, 1990 in Alexandria, Virginia; collective exhibition of paintings coordinated Professor Parsa. Exhibition held May 25 - May 30, 1992 in Rome; announcement of exhibition of paintings at the Congressional Hall of Honor Reserve Officer's Association in Washington D.C on May 21, 1994; 1995 charity art exhibition of various Afghan artists; received U.S visa through his "extraordinary ability" status; Exhibition at G.M.U (George Mason University) in Alexandria, Virginia - 1998; website displaying his artwork and his accomplishments; currently working on his artwork from his home gallery and studio; teaching recreational course at Dublin Arts Council.

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