English

Essay

Themes of ‘Archaic’ #1: ‘Earth’ by archaeologist Dr. Jane Moon OBE

For the exhibition ‘Archaic,’ curators Tamara Chalabi and Paolo Colombo selected themes within the archaic that are the precursor to any civilization. For the first blog in this series, archaeologist Dr. Jane Moon reflects on the theme of ‘earth’ and what this means for the ancient civilizations of southern Iraq, and archaeologists today. Dr. Jane…

Cartoon

‘The Image of War’: July Cartoon

The Baghdad-based caricaturist Khudair Alhimyari has drawn ‘The Image of War, a new cartoon series for the month of July. Below is a dialogue between a journalist and a cameraman (right to left). Journalist: First, take a long shot of the impact of war and destruction on houses and streets. Journalist: Then, take a medium…

Interview

Venice Conversations: Francis Alÿs and Tamara Chalabi on the road from Dohuk to Erbil

In February 2016, the Belgian-born artist Francis Alÿs undertook a trip to Iraq facilitated by the Ruya Foundation in which he gave a workshop to artists in Baghdad, and visited refugee camps in the north of the country. He followed this with an extraordinary visit in November 2016 to the Mosul front line in the…

Essay

World Refugee Day: Art in Iraq’s Refugee Camps

Today is World Refugee Day, we commemorate the strength, courage and perseverance of millions of refugees. – United Nations In December 2014, the Ruya Foundation set up a project to provide drawing materials to adult refugees living in the refugee camps of northern Iraq. These emergency camps had been set up in the summer of…