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Interview

‘I want to convey a lifetime of relentless, never-ending conflict.’: interview with Iraq Pavilion artist Serwan Baran

Iraqi-Kurdish artist Serwan Baran will present the solo exhibition ‘Fatherland’ at the Iraq Pavilion at the 58th Venice Biennale. Baran was born in Baghdad in 1968, and lives in Beirut, Lebanon. He graduated from Iraq’s Babel University with a degree in Fine Arts and was taught by the Syrian-German artist Marwan. Baran served as a…

Interview

Imperial Race: A New Board Game About Iraq’s Ancient Heritage

A couple of months ago, the annual Global Grad Show in Dubai showcased innovative student-led projects from design and technology schools across the world. The Amman-based Iraqi designer and artist Durrah Alomar, a recent graduate of the German Jordanian University, presented Imperial Race, a new board game that teaches players about Iraq’s ancient heritage. Alomar…

Interview

‘I have lived my life by rivers’: Hashim Taeeh’s new work on the water crisis in Basra

The Basra-based Hashim Taeeh has addressed the water crisis in Basra and southern Iraq in a new series of paintings. Dams built by neighbouring countries at the sources of the Tigris and Euprates rivers have reduced the levels of fresh water flowing into Iraq. As a result, sea water from the Persian Gulf has increased…

Interview

Artists Should Reflect the Struggle for Freedom and Power: Interview with the Artist Satta Hashem.

Satta Hashem is an Iraqi artist based in Leicester, UK. Hashem was born in Buhriz, a city in the Diyala Province that was known for its support of Iraq’s Communist party, and moved to Baghdad with his family as a child. Hashem started as a self-taught artist before studying in Algeria, and later at the…