Film, love and dangerous liaisons: Hareth Al Homaam

Young filmmaker Hareth Al Homam (b.1987) took part in the Pavilion of Iraq at the 55th Venice Biennale. His short film, Buzz, exemplifies the stilted, mediated nature of communications between the sexes in modern Iraq in spite of the advent of social media. We follow the short story of a young man and a young woman…
 

Kurdish Elegies: Cheeman Ismaeel

Cheeman Ismaeel (b. 1966, Sulaymaniyah, Iraqi Kurdistan) is a painter who applies her decorative style not only to canvases but also to household objects, such as a television, a clock, an oil heater and a lunchbox. The proposition is refreshingly personal and unpretentious, blurring the line conventionally drawn between fine and decorative art. Her attempt to…
 

The Art of Iraqi Baking

You are invited for tea and biscuits at the Iraq Pavilion. This year’s Pavilion wants to offer guests something different, appreciating visitors are going to be rushed off their feet and in need of a break. The building where the exhibition is held, Ca’Dandolo, is a 16th Century apartment that is a domestic space divided…
 

Special Oud Musical Recital on 31st May, 5-6.30pm

The Pavilion of Iraq is pleased to host a musical recital by renowned musicians Ali Hassan and Duraid Fadhil. Playing the oud–a string instrument similar to a lute commonly featured in Middle Eastern music–Ali and Duraid are each highly accomplished solo musicians. For their performance in Venice, they will be playing a combination of duets inspired…