20 years after the start of the war in Iraq: Artists still demand justice

 

As I previously wrote, 20 years after the start of the war in Iraq, in March 2003, I wanted to focus on the artists who opposed the war and worked to support the Iraqi people, in the UK & in Iraq.

So I wrote this piece: 'The UK-based artists memorialising Iraqi national sacrifice' - for The New Arab.

I talked to the brave Iraqi exilée artist Rana Ibrahim, the British Iranian filmmaker Amir Amirani, and  described the work of the British Iraqi painter Mohammed Sami, or my favourite artist, from Bristol.

Meet the UK-based creatives memorialising Iraqi sacrifice two decades after US-invasion

Culture - 7 min read 

Melissa Chemam 

16 March, 2023 

Two decades after the invasion of Iraq in 2003, showings of remorse toward the Iraqi people are few and far between. Given this governmental and legislative apathy, a new generation of UK artists has taken it upon themselves to expose truth to power.

“I graduated as an archaeologist in Baghdad”, Rana Ibrahim tells The New Arab, “and I worked there for 3 to 4 years before marrying my husband. In 2000, we travelled for his work. But then the war happened in 2003. I was 27 at the time. I watched it all from afar.”

It was a terrible shock for her, especially not to be able to go back to her home. As her husband has British citizenship, Rana decided to move to Britain later in 2003. 

“There, my brain blocked off from what was happening. The conflict meant a potential good life was impossible in Iraq, but I felt anger, watching the events on television was infuriating. I found myself losing my identity. I had to adapt to a new life, and a new language. I had learned English at school, as we do in Iraq, but still, it was very new to me. The war affected me and my family, my parents, and my sister. They still live there, where I also have all my friends and my memories. But I could hardly ever go back.”

Read the story here: 

https://www.newarab.com/features/uk-based-artists-memorialising-iraqi-national-sacrifice