Thursday, 7 January 2010

I want to explore art in more depth. I liked the way that you mentioned on your course information that the emphasis on developing and exploring the possibilities of the chosen medium rather than finished artworks. I still have a lot to learn about western traditions of critical thinking and understanding in art. I have come from a place where simply traditional drawing skills are considered the most important aspect of art. I am excited by the possibilities of experimenting.

In the following blog I have tried to talk about the themes an issues that currently interest me. I feel most comfortable when making art. I am not a good speaker. Art is a way that I can put forward my ideas with some confidence.

Printing on Paper

Oil Screen-Print On Canvas

Acrylic On Paper/ Mirror

Drawing on paper

Oil Spray On Paper

Live Drawing/ Mirror

Oil Screen-Print On Glass

Iraqi-Marsh Screen-Print-Color

many Iraqis in the south live and work in marshy lands, just like the man in this Screen Print.

Iraqi-men Screen-Prin

these images show typical Iraqis doing different jobs. I did this images as Screen Print in 2009 at college. they are captured in seventeenth in south of Iraq.

the Oil-Glass on a paper

The reason why we did it this is to give us an experience about doing new project in Fine Art. I brought some plain glass I put the pic underneath the glass and then painted on the glass then I laid paper on the glass, next I used a roller to press down on the paper. Finally I took the paper off from the glass.

the scratched-window

the window has been painted on the glass first, then scratched on the glass. i did this in May to June 2010. I exhibited it in my final exhibition in July 2010 in Leeds.

saddam, screen-print on paper

The first time I did Scree-Preen on a paper as I enjoyed it very much. this picture is Saddam the previous Iraqi president. I did this because of the Saddam's injustice as he was very bad to his own people even the neighbor's country. so I am trying to show him when he was in present and when he was being executed. as the saying goes, what is goes around , comes around.

Iraqi's Poster, Screenprint

This image was displayed in my college to promote the 'Send a Message of Hope' campaign for Amnesty international. The right half of the image is a mono-screen print. You will see that a strong theme in my work is about my personal Kurdish history. This image tries to show that history can teach us lessons. We often ignore it's messages.

Omari Xawar With His Son, Ink on Paper

This is about a city in Iraq called Halabja. It has been the focus for Saddam Hussein's Chemical Weapons assault on the Kurds. This man had 8 daughters and a little boy. This painting is taken from a photograph showing how he attempted to save his son from the gas.

Iraqi-man, Screenprint

This image seems to capture the sadness and hardship of the Iraqi people in one mans expression. This is a photograph from my families archive of images. This photograph is about seventy years old.

Message of Hope, Woodcut

I produced this piece of work for a woman who has been incarcerated for standing up for women's rights in Iran. The project was part of Amnesty International's 'Send a Message of Hope' Campaign where people are encouraged to send a greetings card to someone whose human rights have been removed. This print was adapted as a card design and sent to Ronak.

Self Portrait Broken, Oil on Board

Although a lot of my second year work is based around the theme of kurdish history this is not my only interest. Art is my main interest. I want to explore different ways of making images and experimenting with composition and materials.

Kurdish Map, Screen print on paper

Kurdistan is not a recognised country. It is an amalgamation of 5 countries. Each of the countries has treated its kurdish population very harshly. There are many lost souls.

Self Portrait Framed, Frame, broken glass, carved arabic writing, acrylic paint

My tutor gave me a random object and a deadline of one week to do something creative with it. The object was a small frame. I painted the glass black and used a scriber to create an etched effect on the glass panel. I then framed a small painting of the kurdish flag with arabic text. I reapeated arabic text on the frame by carving the wood with a lino cutting tool. The glass is broken on purpose. I managed to break the glass in four pieces representing the major countries that make up Kurdistan. The following image makes this clearer.

Reading Figure, Ceramic

This fired clay figure depicts a figure reading. The books shows arab script. The figure is learning about their own history. In this way it is a type of self portrait.

Pregnant Figure, Collograph

This is a print I produced from one of my life drawings. The collograph method uses oil paint on various textures such as wallpaper, fabrics,etc.

Embedded Acrylic and Oil on mattress (installation view)

Embedded Acrylic and Oil on mattress

This piece of work is made from the actual mattress I slept on when i first arrived in the uk. I am a kurdish refugee and I am interested in my family history and the history of the kurdish people. The collection of inverted worldwide flags are superimposed over the kurdish flag. The piece brings together my personal journey and the national situation. The countries represented have at some time been complicit in the oppression of the Kurds. The black image of the barbed wire shows the contours of the kurdish map.