(Above) Jamal Penjweny, Iraq is Flying (2006-2009)
Exhibition: Contemporary Art Iraq, Cornerhouse, Manchester,
until June 20 2010
Iraq features heavily in the news and yet, beyond conflict and political instability, most of us know nothing about it. This exhibition goes some way to addressing things by hosting the first comprehensive UK exhibition of new and recent contemporary art from Iraq since the original Gulf War.
Timed to follow the Iraqi parliamentary election, the dynamic display examines practices which are emerging with fresh perspectives from a culture marked by conflict and turmoil.
Muhammad Sale Rostamzadeh and Wrya Budaghi, My Finger Didn't Get Ink (2009)
The work of 19 Iraqi-based artists gives unprecedented access to a subjective snapshot of the current Iraq art scene.
Constructed in a wide range of media, the works deal with very individual searches for identity, addressing tradition, beliefs and other themes connected to modern life in Iraq.
The subject matter is diverse and rich, focussing on three main themes – The Changing City, Of Time and Tradition and Protest.
Zana Rasool Mohammed, Memories and War (2009). Installation shot © Brian Slater
The eclectic mix of subject makes for a lively art experience as mood and tempo shifts throughout the gallery.
Powerful and poignant photography from Julie Adnan exposes the plight of women who live with their children in prison, and Jamal Penjweny’s series of photographs, Iraq is Flying, playfully reminds us of the childlike wonder of being able to see from a height.
With constant media exposure to conflict in Iraq, our engagement with the country is in danger of being detached and desensitised. But Contemporary Art Iraq is anchored by something humanistic and emotive; it provides a powerful counter-narrative and demands a voice on the world stage.
Julie Adnan, Born in Jail (2009)
This show is of great importance because it explores and challenges expectations of Iraq today. As global attention shifts, it provides a platform for a new generation of artists who acknowledge the aesthetics of conflict, but are not bound by them.
Instead, they are fused with collapsing our negative associations and seek to broaden awareness of life beyond the brink of war, pointing toward other immediate concerns across the country.
Open 12pm-8pm (closed Monday). Admission free.
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