Iraq with Love

Description:	digital print from mixed media on wood. Artists proof. “I have been creating paintings and sculptures for over five decades, and here I am combining the artistry of poetry with the visual expression of paintings and sculpture. The poems in this print appear in the three languages of my three homelands: Hebrew, Arabic, and English. My artwork and every other aspect of my life have been influenced by the sights, sounds and scents of Iraq…There is a saying in Arabic: ‘Baghdad seit-el belad,’ ‘Baghdad is the ancestors of all countries,’ and in my memories it has always been so. Iraq is the land of milk and honey that I remember from my childhood; My Baghdad is the most beautiful place on earth. Though I left with my family in 1951, Iraq has never left me. When Iraqis want to read, the first place they turn to is Al-Mutanabbi Street, a Mecca for all writers, poets, novelists, students, and anyone who is thirsty for knowledge. I remember my mother and I would walk from our home to Al Mutanabbi Street so we could purchase books. From Al Mutanabbi Street we would walk to the Shorjah Market, where we always bought our groceries from the many vendors in the market. My father frequented the coffee shops nearby, where intellectual and workingmen would sit, drink tea and coffee, play table games and talk. I loved to learn, so these trips became food for the mind, for the body, and for the soul. The ever-present sight of the palm trees, known as the Tree of Life, and the pomegranate, which is an ancient and universal symbol of love, fertility and prosperity, has inspired my life and artwork to this day. Even over four decades in New York City, the most exciting place in the world, my art combines East and West; I love it. This print originally started as a random gridded drawing of hearts and pomegranates, which was then transformed into a paper cutout painting. Next, I cut out the forms in wood, nailing and gluing them to a framed wooden background, which was textured with glue and sawdust and then painted. The original piece measured forty-five inches. In this print, based on the original mixed media work, I incorporate the colors and symbols of the Iraqi flag to create a new flag of beauty and peace, uniting all with love. This print is dedicated to the living spirit of Al Mutanabbi Street, to those who lost their lives in its destruction, and to those who aim to keep its memory alive. It is also dedicated to my father and mother, may they rest in peace. As the pomegranate is a symbol of love and peace, I would like to wish love and peace to the Iraqi people, The Middle East, and people around the world” (retrieved from IUCAT on Nov. 1, 2019).
Origin:	2013
Created By:	Halahmy, Oded
Contributor(s):	Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Coalition
Publisher:	Pomegranate Gallery (New York City, NY)
Source:	http://iuidigital.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/AMSSH/id/1150
Collection:	Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Coalition Collection
Rights:	http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Copyright:	In Copyright
Subjects:	artists book art bookworks

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