True story:
While I did not get to experience the following event firsthand I thought it was worth sharing;
Two men who were traveling with our group had the opportunity to go to a gallery that only featured artwork done by women. The place was nearly deserted except for the women who stood a little ways away from their individual pieces. With one man working as an interpreter the other asked the different women what they were feeling or thinking when they created their painting. They were absolutely amazed at the answers. Islamic women traditionally do not share or show emotion (especially not to a stranger and especially not to a man). The artwork however provided a median that allowed the women to open up in a very unusual fashion. Many of the paintings were dark and one painting showed a woman in chains. They told the men that they felt trapped and very oppressed most of the time. Some of them even cried, overwhelmed that someone would actually take the time to not only look at their artwork but ask them about it. At the end the two men gave a donation for the women to help with the costs of supplies. Overwhelmed and crying they gave them a framed pencil drawing by one of the women. This story still amazes me that these women though they face daily oppression by their culture are able to find an emotional outlet through their artwork.