English

Watch the Trailer for Francis Alÿs’ film ‘Sandlines, the Story of History’

Ruya Foundation is pleased to share the trailer of Francis Alÿs’ recent film ‘Sandlines, the Story of History’ (2019), which was made in collaboration with the Foundation and Julien Devaux. The trailer introduces the children of the village of Nerkzlia who were Alÿs’ cast. Through costumes and puppets they play characters from Iraq’s history, from…

Sandlines by Francis Alÿs screens at Sundance and the International Film Festival Rotterdam

Ruya Foundation is pleased to announce the première of Francis Alÿs’ film ‘Sandlines, the Story of History’ (2019), made in collaboration with the Foundation and Julien Devaux, which took place on Saturday, 25th January at the Sundance Film Festival. Contemporary artist Francis Alÿs has created more than just a history of Iraq from the Sykes-Picot…

Statement for Solidarity Against the Violence in Iraq

In solidarity with the popular youth uprisings that have erupted in Iraq against state corruption and deteriorating economic and living conditions, Ruya Foundation calls for a strike of cultural institutions in Iraq. We condemn the use of violence against peaceful protesting, and the bloodshed that has lead to the death of over 265 protestors so…

Essay

Themes of Fatherland #4: Nature

In ‘Fatherland,’ the Iraq Pavilion exhibition at the Venice Biennale, the artist Serwan Baran explores the nature of war, patriarchy and militarism, based on his own experiences as a soldier in the Iraqi army in the1990s. Yet decades of ongoing war, Baran says, has also impacted Iraq’s nature and ecology. “Baghdad was once a green…