English

Exhibition

‘The Lady of Warka and the Archaeology of Meanings’ at the Iraq Museum

It all started with André Malraux’s Imaginary Museum when the photographer Giorgia Fiorio first saw the image of the mask of Warka. Initially discovered in 1939 by the German Archaeological Institute in Uruk, southern Iraq, the head dates back to 3100 BC. For Fiorio, what struck her most is how modern it looks, “like a…

Cartoon

‘Books and Libraries’: December cartoon

The Ruya Foundation has commissioned the Baghdad-based cartoonist Khudair Alhimyari to produce a monthly cartoon series about culture and Iraq. This month’s theme is ‘Books and Libraries’. – “Sir, we got you a library.” – “Why?!” – “You can read in your free time.” – “Slow down my dear, the first document I have read…

Portfolio

‘I want viewers to be moved, to think, to engage’: Mosul-based photographer Zaid Al Obaidy

Zaid Al Obaidy (b.1991) is a photographer from Mosul. When he was a child, his father taught him to take pictures with black and white, 16mm film. Today, he experiments with abstract photography and documents the heritage, destruction and daily life in his city. After ISIS’s take over of Mosul in 2014, Al Obaidy and his family moved…

Interview

‘Archaic’, the Iraq Pavilion at 57th Venice Biennale is nominated for Global Fine Art Award 2017

The Iraq Pavilion has been nominated for the Global Fine Art Awards 2017 (GFAA) in the ‘Best Public Art / Exhibition or Installation’ category. The official nominations were announced on 17 October at Leighton House Museum, London. GFAA is the first annual programme to recognise the best curated art and design exhibitions and installations worldwide. It honours innovation…