| EXHIBITION |
Solo
We have found in the ashes what we have lost in the fire
Rushdi Anwa
“We have found in the ashes what we have lost in the fire"
Rushdi Anwar
15 February ‒ 5 March 2019
MAIIAM contemporary art museum presents “We have found in the ashes what we have lost in the fire", Rushdi Anwar uses sculpture, installation, photography, and video; incorporating a diverse range of humble materials and methods, to reflect upon historical, geopolitical, and socio-political trends and issues from the perspective of Kurdistan, Iraq and the Middle East today. In a broader context, this project also addresses specific aspects of more global socio-political concerns such as ongoing conflicts, displacement, power struggling, trauma, mass killing, ethnic cleansing, and so on, to highlight the human condition, to reflect upon how and when, under difficult situations humanity seeks hope and renewal, as the artist considers art as a mean to extend and generate discourse about the status of social equity in contemporary life.
This arrangement of five artworks unpacks the political upheaval of Kurdistan and Iraq in recent history. Each work is loaded with the misery of human suffering, where the ruined of the past and the present disillusion of its occurrence recalls the citizens of Kurdistan and Iraq, who have not experienced peace in their lifetimes as a consequence of war and its unending violent consequences.
The exhibition purposes to reveal the complicated landscape of socio-political upheaval, hoping to provide differing perspective on what it is to live in a conflict zone; and what it is to inherit difficult issues of politicizing culture. It is hoped that this exhibition conjures insight of suffering and hostility, whilst also revealing how beauty and renewal can be found in its ruin. By seeking redemption, despite historical violence and trauma, there is the possibility of a bright side to such traumatic memory, as such mementoes offer the opportunity to learn from errors of the past.
About the artist
Rushdi Anwar is a Melbourne-based artist originally from Kurdistan. Currently, he is working between Australia and Thailand. His works often reflect on the socio-political issues of Kurdistan, Iraq, and The Middle East. He draws from personal experiences and memories poetically on contemporary issues such as displacement, identity, conflicts, trauma, and impact of colonialism. Based on his background as a Kurd who has lived through recent violence of the region. His works refer to both recent and historical geo-political unrest that extend to generate discourse about the status of social equity. Exploring these issues through an investigation of form, material, and processes of making. His installation, sculpture, painting, photography, and video practice recalls the everyday plight of socio-political persecution, fundamentally expressing the necessity for care, attention, and redemption.
Installation View
