AMMAN // Qais al Sindi is designing a hollow statue made of sacks that once contained rice and sugar distributed to Iraqis during the embargoes on Saddam Hussein's reign.
The statue, the artist said, will be seated in a posture reminiscent of the portraits of the legendary kings who ruled Mesopotamia thousands of years ago.
"What I am trying to depict is the demise of the Iraqis who are descendants of those great kings," he said.
"I want to show people the dramatic changes Iraqis went through since the embargo till the war.
"Iraqis have lost everything and what remained is only the rind and that is why the statue is hollow," Mr Sindi said.
Since the 2003 US-led war, many Iraqi artists have fled their country as they were unable to work because of the lack of security, but they are using their art to portray the losses the country has suffered.
The migration of artists is a recent one, with Iraqis saying their country was a hub for artistic activities from the 1960s till the 1990s.
Despite the eight-year Iran-Iraq war that ended in 1988, art did not suffer as much as it did during 13 years of sanctions and the recent war.
The Iraqi Museum of Modern Art in Baghdad, which boasted paintings, sculptures and calligraphy, was looted and damaged by bombing five years ago.
As a result of the war, established Iraqi artists' work is now dominated by melancholy and pessimism.
The exhibition by Balasem Mohammed at Dar Al Anda gallery in Amman is called "Immigration to Reality" and mostly depicts Iraqi women sketched with charcoal.
Mr Mohammed, who teaches art at a private university, made all his paintings in black and white.
"I have turned Iraq into a country of black and white because there is no colour in Iraq," he said. "We are not in a mood for joyful colours."
Mr Mohammed said his exhibition documents the realities as they now are in his homeland.
"The situation in Iraq is chaotic and this is what I am trying to show."
One of his paintings depicts a funeral with Iraqis carrying a coffin. His work reflects the theme of death and his rejection of the situation in Iraq, he said.
Unable to work in their own country because of the war, some artists miss their studios back home. "One's mood differs when you are home surrounded by your own things ? your books, your music," said Shakir al Alousi, another Iraqi artist.
His house and studio was bombed by the US-led coalition in 2004 by mistake. That is when Mr Alousi decided to leave Iraq.
Since the war, the artist said his style has not changed. He still paints Iraqi women from the 1950s and the 1960s, but now some of his paintings depict the same women but as sad and lonely with darker colours.
Most of Iraq's prominent artists had exhibitions in Jordan, Syria, the Gulf, the United States and Europe. But there are artists who find it hard to make a living in Jordan.
The country has opened its doors to between 500,000 and 700,000 Iraqis in the past five years, but many are concerned about the residency permits along with work and money.
Sana al Janabi left Iraq in 2005 and stayed with her husband for two years in Libya before arriving in Jordan last year with her two daughters aged 16 and two.
The family has applied for refugee status with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.
Mrs Janabi said she was finding life tough in Jordan.
"I find it difficult to sell my work here. I hardly know people since I am new in Jordan" she said. "I am not settled yet."
smaayeh@thenational.ae
THE BIO
Favourite book: ‘Purpose Driven Life’ by Rick Warren
Favourite travel destination: Switzerland
Hobbies: Travelling and following motivational speeches and speakers
Favourite place in UAE: Dubai Museum
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
RESULTS
Welterweight
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) beat Mostafa Radi (PAL)
(Unanimous points decision)
Catchweight 75kg
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) beat Leandro Martins (BRA)
(Second round knockout)
Flyweight (female)
Manon Fiorot (FRA) beat Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
(RSC in third round)
Featherweight
Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB) beat Ahmed Al Darmaki
(Disqualification)
Lightweight
Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) beat Rey Nacionales (PHI)
(Unanimous points)
Featherweight
Yousef Al Housani (UAE) beat Mohamed Fargan (IND)
(TKO first round)
Catchweight 69kg
Jung Han-gook (KOR) beat Max Lima (BRA)
(First round submission by foot-lock)
Catchweight 71kg
Usman Nurmogamedov (RUS) beat Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)
(TKO round 1).
Featherweight title (5 rounds)
Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)
(TKO round 1).
Lightweight title (5 rounds)
Bruno Machado (BRA) beat Mike Santiago (USA)
(RSC round 2).
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group B
Barcelona v Inter Milan
Camp Nou, Barcelona
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
PREMIER LEAGUE STATS
Romelu Lukaku's goalscoring statistics in the Premier League
Season/club/appearances (substitute)/goals
2011/12 Chelsea: 8(7) - 0
2012/13 West Brom (loan): 35(15) - 17
2013/14 Chelsea: 2(2) - 0
2013/14 Everton (loan): 31(2) - 15
2014/15 Everton: 36(4) - 10
2015/16 Everton: 37(1) - 18
2016/17 Everton: 37(1) - 25
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
The specs: 2018 Nissan 370Z Nismo
Price, base / as tested: Dh182,178
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Power: 350hp @ 7,400rpm
Torque: 374Nm @ 5,200rpm
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 10.5L / 100km
Abu Dhabi GP schedule
Friday: First practice - 1pm; Second practice - 5pm
Saturday: Final practice - 2pm; Qualifying - 5pm
Sunday: Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (55 laps) - 5.10pm
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
The bio
Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.
Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.
Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.
Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.
More from Neighbourhood Watch
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, last 16, first leg
Ajax v Real Madrid, midnight (Thursday), BeIN Sports
Fight card
1. Bantamweight: Victor Nunes (BRA) v Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK)
2. Featherweight: Hussein Salim (IRQ) v Shakhriyor Juraev (UZB)
3. Catchweight 80kg: Rashed Dawood (UAE) v Khamza Yamadaev (RUS)
4. Lightweight: Ho Taek-oh (KOR) v Ronald Girones (CUB)
5. Lightweight: Arthur Zaynukov (RUS) v Damien Lapilus (FRA)
6. Bantamweight: Vinicius de Oliveira (BRA) v Furkatbek Yokubov (RUS)
7. Featherweight: Movlid Khaybulaev (RUS) v Zaka Fatullazade (AZE)
8. Flyweight: Shannon Ross (TUR) v Donovon Freelow (USA)
9. Lightweight: Mohammad Yahya (UAE) v Dan Collins (GBR)
10. Catchweight 73kg: Islam Mamedov (RUS) v Martun Mezhulmyan (ARM)
11. Bantamweight World title: Jaures Dea (CAM) v Xavier Alaoui (MAR)
12. Flyweight World title: Manon Fiorot (FRA) v Gabriela Campo (ARG)
