Wounded Water Venice Biennial – Iraq Pavilion 2011

These are extraordinary times for Iraq. The project to create an official country Pavilion for the 54th International Art Exhibition – la Biennale di Venezia is a multiple and participatory work in progress since It is historically coming at a period of great renewal after more than 30 years of war and conflict in that country.

The Pavilion of Iraq will feature six internationally-known contemporary Iraqi artists who are emblematic in their individual experimental artistic research, a result of both living inside and outside their country. These artists, studying at the Fine Arts Academy in Baghdad, completed their arts studies in Europe and USA. They represent two generations: one, born in the early 1950s, has experienced both the political instability and the cultural richness of that period in Iraq.

Ali Assaf, Azad Nanakeli and Walid Siti came of age in the 1970s during the period of the creation of political socialism that marked their background. The second generation, to include Adel Abidin, Ahmed Alsoudani and Halim Al Karim, grew up during the drama of the Iran-Iraq war ( ), the invasion of Kuwait, overwhelming UN economic sanctions and subsequent artistic isolation. This generation of artists exited the country before the 2003 invasion, finding refuge in Europe and USA by sheer fortune coupled with the artistic virtue of their work. All six artists thus have identities indubitably forged with contemporary artistic practice that unites the global situation with the Iraqi experience and they represent a sophisticated and experimental approach that is completely international in scope.

The six artists will execute works on site that are inspired by both the Gervasuti Foundation spaces and the thematic choice of water. This is a timely interpretation since the lack of water is a primary source of emergency in Iraq, more than civil war and terrorism. A special video section will feature artists living and working in Iraq today, curated by Rijin Sahakian.

The Pavilion of Iraq has been produced thanks to Shwan I. Taha and Reem Shather- Kubba/Patrons Committee, MerchantBridge Bank, corporate and individual contributors, various Iraqi government agencies and a major grant from the Arab Fund for Arts and Culture. Honorary Patron is the architect Zaha Hadid.

pload/index-1.html The Venice, Iraq Pavilion Artists

Adel Abidin – Consumption of War

Alí Assaf – Arab Spring

Alí Assaf – al Basara, the Venice of the East

Azad Nankeli – Au (water)

Halim al Karim – Nations Laundry

Walid Siti - Gali Ali Beg (Gorge of Ali Beg)

Walid Siti - Great Zab River

Sculpture Centreville High School Fall 2011 Intructor: Rory Marcaccio Schaffer

Kelsey Ciarrocca

Sara Emsley

Katie Han

Mary Do

Ye Chee Lee

Hee Joo Hong

Christian Hall

Emily E Berkley

Jeremy R Swartz

Mediah Rizwan

Tobin Hörst

Rory Marcaccio-Schaffer