Tarkib 2015

Sajjad Abbas Hussein Adel Akram Assam Ali Eyal Kadir Fadhel Laith KarimRaed MotarRawan Al MukhtarMohamed Waheed

TARKIBInstallation Exhibition 1

TARKIB – Installation Exhibition TARKIB is an exhibition dedicated to multifaceted in- stallation art works of emerging Iraqi artists. The show provides a platform for a new generation of art- ists who acknowledge the aesthetics of conflict, but are not bound by them. They seek to broaden awareness of life beyond the brink of war, highlighting imme- diate concerns across the country using installation art. Works presented deal with very individual searches for identity, whether national or historical, addressing tradition, beliefs, hopes and other themes connected to modern life in Iraq. Installation art is an artistic genre of three-dimen- sional works, mixed-media constructions or assemblages usually designed for a specific place and for a tempo- rary period of time. TARKIB is a group exhibition by nine Iraqi artists and brings together a chronology of sounds, videos, objects, instruments and images that express the artists overarching ideas and talents, who still explore their place in contemporary art. Special thanks to: TARKIB can perform successfully because of the help of a lot of friends. To all of them, especially to all the artists in- volved, my special thanks. Many thanks to: Amir Ramzan, Osama Mahdi, Ismail Sada and Ammar Tariq from the British Council as well as to Emad Al Sharaa and Ammar Al Shabander, Emad Alkhafaji, Yahya Al Allaq, Ghada Al Amely, Hikmat Al Baidany, Amal Ibrahim, Haider Hamzoz, Adnan Hussein, Dhikra Sarsam, Ali Al Shalah, Karim Wasfi . Hella Mewis2

A Few words from the British Council›s DirectorWe at the British Council are very pleased and ex-cited to be supporting TARKIB. Arts, along with Eng-lish and Education, is one of our core areas of work.Our work in the arts fosters ownership of individualsand communities with a view to generating dialogue,strengthening civil society and enabling democratictransition, human rights and social stability. This isexactly what TARKIB is aiming to do. Through TARKIB aset of young and talented Iraqi artists are not onlyshowcasing their creative, exciting designs and in-stallations but they are also sending a message viatheir work as to how they view the social and politi-cal landscape in Iraq.It is extremely important that the youth have a voiceand can express their views in society in a peacefulmanner and in a way, which encourages thought, dia-logue and empathy. This group of talented young art-ists have done exactly that through their thoughtprovoking pieces of work and I commend them for tack-ling important topics such as gender inequality, war,loss, hope and governance. As important as it is forthe young to have a voice in society, it is equallyimportant for that voice to be heard and responded toby those in authority and a dialogue to ensue. We atthe British Council are proud to be playing a role inamplifying the youth voice and contributing to the di-alogue in Iraqi society.Amir Ramzan, Director Iraq, British Council.The British Council creates international opportuni-ties for the people of the UK and other countries,and builds trust between them worldwide. We call thiswork cultural relations. We work in over 100 coun-tries, connecting millions of people with the UnitedKingdom through programms and services in the Englishlanguage, the Arts, Education and Society. We believethese are the most effective means of engaging withothers, and we have been doing this work since 1934. 3

I CAN SEE YOU by Sajjad Abbas Urban Intervention | Video Unique artwork, 2013 In spring 2013 during elections in Iraq, Sajjad Abbas hung a provocative banner and slogan on the top of the house called the Turkish Restaurant beside Djumurija bridge, facing the International Zone . The work lit- erally casts an eye on the International Zone, where Iraqi politicians, multi-national contractors, and the biggest US Embassy in the world are able to determine the fate of citizens from the comfort of their pro- tected city within a city. Although Abbas was soon forced to remove the mural,his public “eye witness” stirred up a lot of discussion. Sajjad Abbas (b. Baghdad, 1993) graduated from the Institute of Fine Arts as a drawer in 2014. He works as a designer, visual artist and animator. Many of his graffiti colour Baghdad’s murals. He worked together with the Iraqi Independent Film Centre from 2011 to 2014. He illustrated two animation films and was the art designer of several short movies. Sajjid Abbas is a member of Sada, the Association for Contemporary Iraqi Arts.4

5

SARGON AKKADIAN IN HIS ANTI-BOMB SUIT by Hussein Adel Stop Motion Video | Installation Unique artwork, 2015 The audience follows Sargon Akkadian wearing a bomb protective suit on his walk, moving from place to place, from 2003 until today. Four pho- tos with different situations go through chang- es which are underlined by sound effects ranging from a Saddam speech to bomb explosions, and in contrast, typical Iraqi songs. Hussein Adel (b. Nasseriya, 1994) graduated from the Institute of Fine Arts, Visual Art Depart- ment. He works together with the Iraqi Independ- ent Film Centre. He is specialised in animation films and works on several animation films such as “Iraqi Superman” and “Sperm”. He additionally works as a caricaturist, dealing in his artworks with political and socially critical themes. He has publishings in many local newspapers and pre- sented so far in several local and international galleries.6

7

THE OTHER LIFE by Akram Assam Photoshop-Collage Edition of 6 exhibits, 2015 Akram Assam’s photoshop-collage edition “The Other Life” showcases several historical build- ings of Baghdad. The photos were taken using his iPhone. All buildings are reflected upside-down. This expresses Akram Assam‘s hope of finding the same life, but in a better and safer place. Akram Assam (b. Baghdad, 1985) graduated in 2010 as an actor and theatre director from the The- atre Department of the College of Fine Arts , Baghdad University. Since then he has had a ca- reer as an actor, assistant director and direc- tor in the field of cinema and theatre. He is also a member of the National Theatre Ensemble. Addi- tionally Akram Assam has attended all events held by the non-profit organisation Sada, the As- sociation for Contemporary Iraqi Arts, where the participants receive lectures on innovations in contemporary arts.8

9

OASIS BEHAVIOUR by Ali Eyal Maquette, Mixed Media Unique artwork, 2015 Ali Eyal lost his father during the sectarian conflict in 2006. The newspaper “Oasis” belongs to Ali Eyal’s mother. She announced in this newspaper the death of the missing Eyal to be able to get a salary from the government for her underage children. At that time, a lot of women lost their husbands. However, direct- ly beside the announcement of dead and missing per- sons, one can find jokes and a crossword puzzle. Ali Eyal seeks thereby to document the co-existence of sadness and joy in Iraq. He obtained his mother’s permission to borrow this “Oasis”-page and put sand on it. Ali Eyal (b. Baghdad, 1994) is a visual multime- dia artist and uses different media to examine social attitudes and complexities. Eyal graduated from the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad, specialising in visual arts. He has exhibited in Baghdad, Najaf and other cities. Especially noteworthy is the fact that he exhibited at the Sharjah Biennial with the writer, artist, and architect Tony Chakar, who was the illus- trator of his book “The dialogue that is us,” in 2012. Ali Eylal is a member of Sada,the Association for Con- temporary Iraqi Arts, and was chosen to exhibit at the Cairo Festival of Video Art in 2013.10

11

ADD FRIEND SO YOU CAN SPEAK WITH THE PRESIDENT by Ali Eyal Interactive Installation Unique artwork, 2013 This interactive piece allows the audience to con- nect via the computer with the organisations that suppressed the internet in Iraq and to chat directly through Facebook. The audience will therefore be able to see political figures that have governed Iraq in the years since the foundation of the Iraqi state but also interact with the imaginary characters that they represent on Facebook . These characters will reply to any questions that may be put to them. Ali Eyal (b. Baghdad, 1994) is a visual multime- dia artist and uses different media to examine social attitudes and complexities. Eyal graduated from the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad, specialising in visual arts. He has exhibited in Baghdad, Najaf and other cities. Especially noteworthy is the fact that he exhibited at the Sharjah Biennial with the writer, artist, and architect Tony Chakar, who was the illus- trator of his book “The dialogue that is us,” in 2012. Ali Eylal is a member of Sada,the Association for Con- temporary Iraqi Arts, and was chosen to exhibit at the Cairo Festival of Video Art in 2013.12

13

GAZE AND MAZE by Kadir Fadhel Installation, Mixed Media Unique Artwork, 2015 The walk-in box by Kadir Fadhil showcases his re- cent paintings and drawings. His paintings con- tain either a barcode or a QR-Code or both. The barcode shows the origin of a product and its price. The QR-Code is a method of writing down information. Visitors will explore the codes of the new technology and Kadir Fadhel’s messages using the scanner of a smartphone. Kadir Fadhel (b. Baghdad, 1977) is a visual art- ist. He uses silicon material to draw maps or- works of calligraphy in Arabic. From 2001 to 2009 he lived in Syria, where he exhibited in sever- al group exhibitions. Kadir Fadhel is currently studying at the College of Fine Arts at Baghdad University and will graduate in 2015. In May 2015 he awarded the first prize of “Ishtar Award for Young Iraqi Artists” by the Iraqi Plastic Artists Society.14

15

SPACES OF A COFFEE by Laith Karim Action | Intervention | Photograph Installation Unique Artwork, 2015 Laith Karim‘s pictures document the exploration of the souls of the dead. Visitors are invited to search out and follow the bloody t-shirt with- in a photo-collection, presented in an ipad. The ipad is installed under a hanging bloody t-shirt. This t-shirt is a remnant of a bomb-explosion that he himself experienced. Laith Karim (b. Baghdad, 1995) is a visual artist specialised in photography, video and experimen- tal films. He is currently studying at the Insti- tute of Fine Arts, theater department. He usually shows his photographs as video art. He partici- pated in several local festivals and exhibitions as well as abroad. In 2014 he conducted the in- teractive performance “The limits of a City” in Sadr City, Baghdad. Laith Karim works together with the Iraqi Independent Film Centre and is a member of Sada, the Association for Contemporary Iraqi Arts.16

17

THE PAST OF THE FUTURE by Raed Motar Soundinstallation Unique artwork, 2015 THE PAST OF THE FUTURE is a sound installation in the form of a black box creating awareness of the power of time and forgiveness. The audience listens to an cockpit recording that takes place 50 years into the future, when a catastrophe in the “Western” world occurs and Iraq becomes a safe place... Raed Motar (b. Baghdad, 1987) graduated from the College of Fine Arts in 2011. Raed Motar’s work ranges from hyper -realistic oil paintings to ec- centric photoshopped photographs of friends and family with rough captions violently scribbled all over them in cryptic script. He experiments with performance and theatre in an unconvention- al manner, often re-transforming these events into new works and paintings after they have been staged. Raed Motar is a member of Sada, the Asso- ciation for Contemporary Iraqi Arts, and has fea- tured in Ashkal Alwan’s Home Workspace program in Beirut, Lebanon.18

19

TELLAQTIN by Rawan Al Mukhtar Installation Unique Artwork, 2015 Behind every Iraqi door there seems to be a duality in the personality of an Iraqi man, a contradiction be- tween his own freedom and the impact of religion and society upon him. To meet his dailz demands, he lives another contradiction between eastern and western traditions and customs. Behind a traditional Baghdadi doo, viewers see video-scenes playing in an ‘eastern’ bathroom, representing the habits of eastern behav- iours. The video-scenes are surrounded by eight silk screens showcasing western behaviours. Rawan Al Mukhtar (b. Baghdad, 1991) is a visual artist who investigates the impact of traditions and cultur- al practices thatdefine society’s treatment of women. Most of her work is dominated by realistic paint- ings executed in oil. Rawan is currently studying at the College of Fine Arts at Baghdad University, Plastic Arts Department and will graduate in 2015. In May 2015 she awarded the second prize of “Ishtar Award for young Iraqi Artists” by the Iraqi Plas- tic Artists Society.20

21

ADDICTION by Rawan Al Mukhtar Painting Unique Artwork, 2015 Rawan Al Mukhtar adresses in her artwork the gen- der gap, the unequal treatment of boys and girls within a family. While boys are permitted to do whatever they like, girls are not. Rawan Al Mukhtar (b. Baghdad, 1991) is a visual artist who investigates the impact of traditions and cultural practices thatdefine society’s treat- ment of women. Most of her work is dominated by realistic paintings executed in oil. Rawan is currently studying at the College of Fine Arts at Baghdad University, Plastic Arts Department and will graduate in 2015. In May 2015 she awarded the second prize of “Ishtar Award for young Iraqi Artists” by the Iraqi Plastic Artists Society.22

23

CONFLICT by Mohamed Waheed Soundinstallation Unique artwork, 2015 Mohamed Waheed presents a gramophone with two horns. One horn is very stylish and the visitor is invited to listen to old, traditional Bagh- dadian music. But the melodies of the Baghdadian songs are distorted by ugly sounds of war which can be heard through the other horn . Mohamed Waheed (b. Baghdad, 1989) is currently studying at the Institute of Musical Study. He additionally works as an art designer in film and theatre. Mohammed has been a calligrapher since he was 11 years old, an art form he learned from his father, Waheed Alwan.24

25

Imprint This booklet is published on the occassion of the ex- hibition «TARKIB – Installation Exhibition» in the Gallery Burjbabl in Abu Nawas, Baghdad from May 23 to 30, 2015. http://emcue1.wix.com/emcue Curator/Editor/Text: Translation: Amal IbrahiHmella Mewis Concept and Design: Al Karrar Abdulsattar and Hussein Adel Print: Harf Promotions - Iraq Edition: 1000 Photo credits: Sajjad Abbas, Al Karrar Abdulsattar, Hussein Adel, Akram Assam, Ali Eyal, Laith Karim, Hel- la Mewis, Raed Motar Printed in Iraq C 2015 Al Noor Foundation and EMCUE e.V. All rights reserved. Harf Promotions Printing Press Iraq - Baghdad - al-Saadoon St. [email protected] +964 7702647188 or +964 7702207755 Curator: Hella Mewis Design Logo: Raed Motar Corporate Design: Hussein Adel Funded by Supported by Organised by In cooperation with26