7.th BAGHDAD WALK
Group Exhibition and Art Walk in Public Space
6.12.2024 in Al Rasheed Street
7.12.2024 in Al Adhemiya
As part of the program “Tarkib for Artivism - Workshop and Baghdad Walk Awareness Exhibition”.
Edited by Tarkib Organization for Arts & Culture
BAGHDAD WALK is a workshop program that engages emerging Iraqi artists and activists, culminating in a group exhibition in the public realm of Baghdad. The seventh edition took place over two days, winding along Al Rasheed Street on December 6, 2024, and Al Adhemiya on December 7, 2024.
Twenty artists showcased a range of artistic forms and expressions that tackled pressing questions of contemporary life in Iraq, addressing issues of human rights and climate change. This year’s edition particularly gave a voice to underprivileged segments of the Iraqi society. The artistic media utilized varied from augmented reality, to photo poetry, collage, and billboards, as well as various upcycling and recycling projects.
Many artists have seized the opportunity to create public awareness around pressing societal issues such as child exploitation, coping with mental health challenges, accessibility for people with disabilities, dealing with distress, sorrow, and panic, and the difculty of coming to terms with the past. They also explored the relationship between Iraq’s two most important resources: water and oil, and their impact on modern life in Iraq.
Other artists focused on Iraq’s climate vulnerability today, addressing, for instance, the country’s air pollution, its causes, and its consequences. They call for greater responsible consumption and highlight the reality of climate migration. Many works presented provide clear critical refections on ongoing infrastructural projects related to the construction of roads, bridges, residential compounds, and the depletion of green spaces and their future effects, noting that the country is far away from evolving into sustainable cities and communities.
All works serve as love letters to critical thinking, highlighting the aspect of what each individual can do to mitigate the human rights and climate challenges in Iraq.
Baghdad Walk is part of the program line “Tarkib for Artivism” and is conceived and organized by Tarkib in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Baghdad, spanning three years from 2024 to 2026.
Exhibiting Artists:
Mayameen Saleh, Tabi, Sujood Al Rorabi, Zahraa Soubhi, Sumaya Tawfeq, Amnah Ali, Maha Atteah, Teeba Al Hamed, Tarkib, Ali Raid, Atef Al Jaffal, Loay Al Hadhary, Mohammed Al Bolani, Amir Akram, Zaid Saad, Muhaned Taha, Hussam Mohammed, Othman Al Tememy, Hassan Elnargc and the children band Baibon.
To view video:
ALERT-BLACK CLOUD is a photo series presented as an awareness booklet that addresses the black cloud that covered Baghdad mid-October 2024 and investigates its causes. Iraq has not only been named the ffth-most vulnerable country to climate breakdown, but it also ranks frst among the Arab countries and sixth globally for high air pollution rates, which have reached unprecedented levels. The reasons are manifold and very complex.
The photo series provides six examples of causes and the different kinds of air pollution in Baghdad: vehicles lacking catalytic converters, cement and asphalt factories, oil refneries, garbage landflls, generators, and power plants. The list was not intended to be exhaustive but rather a starting point for considering how we can contribute to reducing toxic gas emissions in Baghdad on an individual, collective and community level.
The protagonist in the photo series is a pink ball sewn together from plastic shopping bags and additionally stuffed with them. The colour pink is an artifcial phenomenon in nature and unconsciously triggers an alarm response in human perception. A ball represents an immature game that symbolizes the state of popular knowledge regarding environmental pollution. The pink ball was photographed positioned in the aforementioned locations to highlight the alarming situation.
Visitors gathered at Al Risaf Statue and were invited to wear a specifc mask and to walk down Al Rasheed Street in search of something unusual until they discovered the pink ball. The artifcial phenomenon created attraction among the many salesmen nearby, which led to a lecture performance on how the causes of air pollution can be prevented.
1_ALERT - BLACK CLOUD Tarkib
Ali Raid explores the accessibility of spaces on two levels in his installation. The frst level, represented by the staircase, is dedicated to around 3 million Iraqis living with disabilities. Although Law No. 38 of 2013 ensures these people have the right to engage in societal development, the actual situation contrasts with this ideal.
The Care of Persons with Disabilities and Special Needs Act No. 38 prohibits any discrimination based on disability and provides opportunities for higher degrees in the Ministry of Higher Education, as well as employment in the governmental sector (5%) and in the private sector (3%, if more than 60 workers are employed). However, achieving 5% disabled employees in the public sector and 3% in the private sector has not occurred ten years later.
His staircase is composed of LEGO-like building blocks as a symbol of ‘infantile’, meaning basic and legal rights that are not actually upheld. Ali Raid believes that these individuals are not disabled; instead, it is society that is disabled for failing to empower them.
2_BAYA BAYA
Ali Raid
The second level, the rear wall of his staircase, represents the ‘boundaries’ Iraqis encounter concerning prospects beyond their nation. He gave out sheets from an outdated passport to allow visitors answer the question written on them: Where would you like to go? The Arabic question highlighted a twofold meaning, representing either going to another country or attaining a goal in life.
Visitors, consisting of a mix of invited guests, market vendors, and street workers, expressed a range of aspirations from simple wishes to visit Paris to fundamental necessities like acquiring wealth, marrying, or obtaining a house. Moreover, there were profound statements conveyed, such as, “I do not think of going somewhere; I only want to enjoy the journey.” or “I want to live a unique life and not to be a robotic survivor.” or “I am already there. Now I am waiting for the sun to set.”.
3_DIRBALEK
Mayameen Salih
Mayameen Salih’s recycling project seeks to draw attention to the plastic litter found on the streets of Baghdad. Her six-meter-long recycling sculpture consists of 400 plastic water bottles that she gathered, sliced into uniform rectangular sections, and stitched together to form eight longitudinal lines. Her creation features a light cone design to underscore the focus individuals need to have on the massive plastic waste they are producing. Her installation urges for greater responsible consumption and collection of plastic waste.
She utilized a rundown Shanashil house window located on Al Rasheed Street for her intervention. The house is on the verge of falling apart, just like the environment will be if individuals do not start changing their habit of throwing bottles while strolling down the sidewalk. Installing her plastic spotlight on the façade of an abandoned heritage house carries a twofold meaning. Al Rasheed Street is considered one of Baghdad’s most important boulevards, architecturally, socially, and culturally representing the history of the modern state of Iraq, related to the last one hundred years.
Yet, buildings are in a state of poor repair due to neglect. The reasons are manifold and very complex, closely related to Iraq’s history. Witnessing the historical identity of the country fall apart encouraged Mayameen Salih even more to highlight the relationship between humans, architecture, and the environment.
Presenting in a male-dominated environment such as Al Rasheed Street, she anticipated facing criticism regarding her actions and presence. Rather, people showed support during the setup and were eager to learn more about her project, participating in a conversation regarding heritage conservation and reducing plastic waste.
The main focus of Atef Al Jaffal’s sound installation is a golden “qouri” (the teapot) simmering over the fame. A set of headphones emerges from it, signifying that the “qouri” is the speaker, enabling visitors to listen. The “qouri” expresses the emotions of Al Ma’azeb (the host) during the funeral, as he is the person closest to the martyr and who assists the guests. This service typically involves serving traditional beverages and tea. In this story, all are sorrowful: the pot, the tea, the martyr, and the host.
In the sound piece, visitors can experience both the sounds that Al Ma’azeb hears and his conversations. Each visitor is invited to take on the role of Al Ma’azeb by serving tea to the others while listening to the audio work. Atef Al Jaffal immerses the listener in a dual experience, highlighting the hardship endured by Al Ma’azeb, his mourning, and his service to other mourners.
In his artworks for Baghdad Walk, Atef Al Jaffal centers on the theme of martyrdom. He is concerned that people suppress the remembrance of martyrs, leading feelings of sadness and sorrow. Martyrs can be found in every Iraqi household due to the confict-ridden circumstances in the nation since the 1980s, which persist to this day. Sadness, though often perceived negatively, can carry positive meanings and serve important functions in our lives. Exploring sorrow, an emotional distress often shunned, can aid in developing personal coping strategies that enhance communal healing from the past at a community level.
4_AL MA’AZEB
Atef Al Jaffal
5_HUMAN’S RIGHT TO PANIC
The paintress Tabi merges poetry and imagery in her latest series of artworks. For Baghdad Walk, she composed a poem connected to “Panic is a Human Right”. She was inspired by the people who visited her and shared their daily life burdens - burdens, that made them feel panic. The four-stanza poem expresses her feelings toward the people, men and women alike. Her four ink drawings visually depict those feelings. Both, the poem and her ink illustrations were combined into a video, enabling visitors to view and hear it by scanning a QR code found on a postcard.
Tabi is a person who constantly examines the environment surrounding her. She depicts her discoveries both visually and literally. Her paintings are anything but pleasing to the eye. They express deep emotions, sometimes connected to fear and anxiety, danger, and stress.
The term “panic” is defned as an abrupt, intense sensation of fear or anxiety that disrupts rational thinking and often leads to impulsive or irrational behavior. It can occur in response to real or perceived threats or stressful situations. For Tabi, the concept of “Panic is a Human’s Right”, as refected in the title, emphasizes the right to personal dignity, freedom of thought, and emotional expression. This is especially important in a society like Iraq, where expressing emotions outside of one’s comfort zone is uncommon, shelters for relief are lacking, and suitable therapies are absent.
To view video:
Tabi
6_OMEN
Loay Al Hadhary
An omen is an occurrence believed to herald a future event. While the frst artwork presented in Baghdad Walk explained six causes of air pollution in Baghdad, the sculptor Loay Al Hadhary provides a glimpse into the future if no measures are implemented. Thirteen doves wearing gas masks lie dead on the ground. He chose the number 13 due to its association with challenges, pain, and mortality.
He asks, “Will we fnd a solution for the pollution problem, or will we bring about a grim warning for ourselves? If the peace dove itself is found dead, it is considered a bad omen.” He then engages in an interesting conversation with the audience, discovering what everyone can do individually to improve air quality.
Air pollution in Iraq is a signifcant environmental and public health concern, stemming from various sources and necessitating comprehensive mitigation strategies. Despite the efforts of mitigation measures such as regulatory frameworks, international commitments, climate strategies, and action plans, as well as technological initiatives, effective implementation faces obstacles, including the need for stronger enforcement of environmental regulations, political instability, and limited public awareness.
Addressing air pollution requires not only a coordinated approach involving government action and international support, but also community engagement combined with individual enlightenment, which are crucial for achieving sustainable improvements in air quality.
7_GREEN IT
“GREEN IT” is an initial campaign by Mohammed Al Bolani aimed at addressing the current urban planning that eliminates green spaces; however, people still have a chance to respond. He utilized guerrilla marketing, leveraging the element of surprise, to communicate with the audience. He created a greening setup by using two columns of the partly abandoned building formerly known as Bait Lynch, Bait Mustansir, and Bait Bunir. His setup aims to encourage people to take action on their own when the authorities are lacking. A poster stand that reads, “Greening is a necessity, not a luxury.”, emphasizes his message. To motivate visitors to take action, he invites them to bring a fower home. Plants, like humans, require attention and the right treatment. He urges that it is the people, who can make a change.
In his research, he highlights why increasing green spaces is important. It can reduce the urban heat island effect, lowering temperatures in densely populated areas and improving the quality of life for its citizens. It can help combat desertifcation, where vast areas of land are becoming increasingly arid and unproductive. It can provide citizens with opportunities for physical activities and social interaction. Green belts around cities and the restoration of degraded lands could enhance soil moisture retention, prevent soil erosion, and support agriculture.
He argues, “The expansion of green spaces is not only an environmental imperative but also a social and economic requirement.”
Mohammed Al Bolani
Mohammed Al Bolani selected a particular location for his guerrilla marketing intervention, emphasizing the historical depth of the partially deserted structure of the building. First known as Bait Lynch, it was the headquarters of the British Lynch & Brothers Limited Company for River Navigation in Iraq, which obtained its concession from the Ottoman State on April 24, 1860. The company was a frontrunner in river transportation in the region and gained signifcant recognition until the emergence of train transportation in the 1920s. The business declined, was liquidated, and nothing remained except for its iconic building.
The building is situated at the intersection of Al Rasheed Street and Al Mustansir Street, adjacent to the Baghdad Chamber of Commerce. The Lynch Company previously had its ofces in the rear area facing Al Nahr Street, while the section overlooking Al Rasheed Street was leased to several prominent shops: Al Mackenzie Library on the corner, which focused on English and foreign books and magazines arriving weekly by aircraft from London; adjacent to it was a boutique selling the fnest types of natural fur, attracting women from wealthy families traveling from Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine; next to it was Kiko, a shop featuring fairly costly women’s handbags; and the Armenian tailor Adam, regarded as one of the priciest men’s tailors at that time, who tailored only fabrics that he personally imported from France, England, and Switzerland. In the 1970s, the Al Buniya family acquired the building and transformed it into a market named Al Mustansir, focusing on the wholesale and retail of women’s footwear and handbags. Today, it is still owned by Al Buniya family and is commonly known as Bait Buniya.
8_COCKFIGHT
Sujjood Al Rorabi
A cockfght is a violent and cruel form of entertainment where two roosters are placed in a ring to fght each other. Sujood Al Rorabi’s painting, situated in an imitation of a cockfght ring, depicts two roosters battling over three barrels that could contain either oil or water. The number three reminds one of the proverb “The best things come in threes.”. But what is if the best turns to worst? Iraq’s climate vulnerability today is exemplifed by its two most vital resources: water and oil. Both shape and refect the fate of the country and its people. Abundant oil resources confront extreme water shortages, and instead of fnding a solution, the roosters continue to fght.
Sujood Al Rorabi hails from Nasiriya, in southern of Iraq, a hotspot for her rooster’s fghts over water and oil. Nasiriya, the capital of Dhi Qar Governorate, serves as a gateway to Al Ahwar, the marshlands of southern Iraq. In 2016, the Ahwar of Southern Iraq was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List under cultural criteria iii and v, and natural criteria ix and x, as a mixed natural and cultural world heritage site. The designation emphasizes the outstanding natural value of the marshlands, which consist of the Huwaizah, Hammar, and Central Marshes. Al Ahwar used to be the largest wetland in the Middle East and was historically one of the largest inland delta plains in the world. Seventy years ago, Al Ahwar covered nearly 6,000 square miles (Thesiger 1954: 272-273). Nowadays, at least 70% of the marshes are devoid of water (some sources mention 85%). The reasons are manifold and quite complex, but one key reason is the abundance of oil resources underneath.
Read more:
9_MONUMENT OF VOICES
Amir Akram
“MONUMENT OF VOICES is an immersive Augmented Reality (AR) experience that reimagines the Freedom Monument as a living mosaic of history and memory. Through layered visuals and sounds, visitors journey through the Freedom Monument’s many dimensions, uncovering forgotten stories. Each interaction reveals new perspectives, weaving individual tales into a collective song of resilience and unity - a powerful reminder that every voice shapes the legacy of the people.” - Amir Akram
The Freedom Monument (Nasb Al Hurriya), located at the entrance of Al Ummah Garden in Al Tahrir Square and inaugurated in 1961, is widely recognized as an iconic symbol of freedom for the Iraqi people and serves as a cultural representation of freedom of expression. It commemorates the 14 July Revolution, also referred to as the 1958 Iraqi military coup, which resulted in the overthrow of the Hashemite-led Kingdom of Iraq under British control and the formation of the Iraqi Republic. The sculptor Jawad Saleem was commissioned to create the monument celebrating Iraq’s declaration of independence. Jawad Saleem envisioned a sculpture to be at ground level, but the architect Rifat Chadirji suggested, “Let us make a protest banner that lasts forever.”, transforming the sculpture into a more monumental work. The 1958 Revolution was not just a military coup; the Iraqi people took to the streets and decisively supported the coup d’état. The bronze reliefs, which employ arabesque geometry and calligraphy as visual elements, narrate ‘the revolution of the people’. The initial phase to the right starts with the pre-revolution, the revolutionary period is situated in the centre, and the post-revolution phase stretches to the left.
Amir Akram’s AR installation visualizes the words as symbols corresponding to the relief fgures and the message conveyed by its creator Jawad Saleem. The monument’s fgures represent the voices of the people’s struggle, contribution, liberation, freedom, unity, justice, and progress. For Amir Akram, the Freedom Monument is both a tribute to Iraq and its people’s historical struggles for freedom and an enduring symbol of the importance of freedom of expression in shaping a democratic society.
TARKIB FOR ARTIVISM
The term “artivism” is a portmanteau word that combines “art” and “activism” into one word, both in meaning and sound. In essence, artivism merges the transformative power of art with the urgency of activism, creating a dynamic platform for advocacy and social change. For Tarkib, artivism serves as a new social language and educational tool that breaks the traditional role of social communication.
Since its founding a decade ago, Tarkib artists have incorporated socially critical themes, thereby addressing human rights and climate challenges in their work. Tarkib is dedicated to contemporary art and remains the one-of-a-kind contemporary art platform in Iraq. Yet, the artists of Tarkib do not create art merely to beautify the eye. Instead, they convey critical messages to provoke thought, challenge norms, and inspire people by using artistic expression to transcend language and cultural barriers. Tarkib encourages public participation to raise awareness and spark public conversations.
One of its projects is Baghdad Walk, which blends an awareness group exhibition with an art walk in public spaces. One of Tarkib’s aims is to bring its art to the people rather than to present it in a white cube such as a traditional gallery space. Artivists in general, and Tarkib specifcally, alter familiar public spaces and transform them into unusual, dialogic sites for exhibitions, taking advantage of their accessibility and site-specifcity in order to redefne how visitors view at and engage with the artwork. Many of the works presented are connected to their locations, narrating the stories of buildings, squares, statues, shops, or natural phenomena. Thus, the artists blend history with the present.
A common question this year concerned our selection of Al Rasheed Street and Al Adhemiya. The answer is simple: because of both their historical backgrounds, the richness of existing art in public spaces, and their connection to the rise of the city of Baghdad, the city of peace, rather than any ties to ethnicity or confession. Both Al Rasheed Street and Al Adhemiya encompass areas whose roots extend back to the Abbasid era. Both include landmarks that narrate the history of the modern state of Iraq over the last 100 years.
10_DAHAB
Zahraa Soubhi
“Dahab” (gold) is a photo poetry project that reinterprets “The Recollection of the Arabian Nights”, an early poem by the English poet Alfred Tennyson, frst published in 1830. His poem was a response to “The Arabian Nights: Tales of 1001 Nights”, envisioning what golden Baghdad might have looked. Tennyson’s work evokes an exotic, golden image that once resonated with the historic splendor of Baghdad but has since faded in the face of modernity. Zahraa Soubhi chose lines from Tennyson’s poem and juxtaposed the stanzas in photography with images of contemporary Baghdad, grounding the poet’s nostalgic vision in the evolving urban fabric of the city.
Through photos that capture the city’s present reality, she seeks to reveal what remains when the imagined perfection of Baghdad’s past meets the contrasts of its current scenery. The work refects on Baghdad’s transformation, prompting viewers to consider both what has been lost and what endures. In exploring this space between memory and modernity, it captures the city’s layered beauty—not as a relic of fantasy but as a place where traces of the past linger amid the present, refecting the resilience and reality beneath the golden nostalgia. Her juxtaposition illustrates that Baghdad is nowhere near becoming sustainable cities and communities.
She placed her photo poetry series next to the Antarah Ibn Shaddad statue, referred to as the Arabian Horseman. The sculpture was created by Miran Al Saadi and unveiled in 1972. It portrays the pre-Islamic Arabian warrior and poet Antarah Ibn Shaddad brandishing a sword on a rearing horse, an ideal image to emphasize her juxtaposition between the past and the present.
Visitors mainly remarked on the photo showing the deceased palm trees. The U.S. Army set fre to the palm forest along Al Dorra Highway in 2007 during the civil war to uncover possible hiding places of Al Qaeda members. Other attendees were keen to discover more about the sites showcased, as they were unfamiliar with them.
11_TREE EYE
Sumaya Tawfeq
The collage “Tree Eye” is dedicated to the symbiosis between trees and humanity. The work serves as a therapy through poetry and images that symbolically express trees and their relationships with humans, illustrating how humans are a part of nature, just as trees are. The eye of the tree is a small-size mirror within the collage, but visitors see their own refections instead. It is an invitation to see oneself through nature and to recognize the value and importance of trees.
For Sumaya Tawfeq, the aspect of communication is essential. Therefore, she included stanzas from poems related to trees such as by Mahmoud Darwish, Al Mutanabbi, Robert Frost, and Adonis, the Greek god of beauty and desire. Her images serve as visual metaphors, highlighting the signifcance of trees by using natural elements that collide with materials such as concrete and metal to emphasize the destruction of trees through current urban development. Her collage is a call for the necessity of trees in Iraq to ensure sustainable cities and communities.
Visitors particularly liked the combination of visuals and poetry and how it all fts together with nature. They expressed a desire to see more collages like this, as they fnd it more comprehensible. While waiting for the walking group to arrive, Sumaya Tawfeq engages in conversation with local residents who are curious to learn more about the exhibition.
12_I WANT YOU TO ...
The artwork is a spray-painted 180 x 90 cm mirror, that refects the image of the viewer and their surroundings. The spray paint reads: “I WANT YOU TO HAVE FREEدم”. The word “Freeدم” is divided into two phonemes that correspond to the original word “freedom”. The frst part is “free”, and the second part is “دم”, which is the Arabic word for “blood” and is pronounced with the same syllable “dom”.
The phrase is signed by Uncle Sam, the personifcation of the U.S. Uncle Sam, who addressed American soldiers with “I want you to war.”, is the same fgure who said to the Iraqi people: “I want you to have freedom.”. Zaid Saad’s English-Arabic paronomasia expresses this contradiction. The ofcial excuse for the occupation of Iraq by American forces and their allies in 2003 was to grant freedom to the Iraqi people and liberate them from a dictatorial regime. He states: “What we got is not freedom; instead our blood has become free.”.
The artwork serves as a witness to a historical event and a mockery of their claims. Simultaneously, the spray-painted mirror with the people’s silhouettes expresses the artist’s genuine desire for the Iraqi people to attain freedom.
Zaid Saad
13_TAYEH
Amnah Ali
The protagonist in Amnah Ali’s cartoon series for Baghdad Walk is Boby, the dog fgurine who appears in the cartoons alongside the chewing gum Boby Bubble, a still-existing Iraqi local brand. Amnah Ali’s Boby wanders about in his search of a new home but continually fnds himself in various tragic situations. Upon arriving in Al Ahwar, the marshlands of southern Iraq, he steps onto land submerged in salt and drought. Reed roots bleed and wither. He sees inhabitants burning their mudhif (reed houses) to draw public attention to their plight and their forced migration.
Amnah Ali has titled her cartoon “Tayeh”, meaning that Boby is lost and does not know where to go, similar to the feelings of the Ahwaris. Her cartoon installation is accompanied by a song featuring the Iraqi monologist Aziz Ali. In one verse, he sings, “The patch does not ft the ripped part.”. For Amnah Ali, it is the best description of the situation of the residents in Al Ahwar. However, Boby is committed to fnding a proper patch and does his best to help, inviting others to follow.
Her cartoon was displayed on a wall made out of reed stems to emphasize the link to the wetlands where reeds once fourished abundantly. She participates in the Baghdad Walk for the third time, yet this cartoon is her favorite since it tackles the subject of climate migration that impacts her personally. To her astonishment, numerous visitors were unaware of the circumstances in Al Ahwar and the demonstrations the residents held to express their wish not to relocate. Nevertheless, their voices go unnoticed. For her, it is even more crucial to publicly address the situation of the Ahwaris and to fnd a ‘patch’ when the authorities remain silent.
14_STAMPEDE
Maha Atteah
The poem “Stampede” by Maha Atteah honors the martyr Othman the Swimmer, one of the heroes during the stampede at Al Aimmah Bridge on August 31, 2005, who saved many lives until he himself drowned. On that day, approximately one million pilgrims had gathered around or marched toward Al Kadhimiya Mosques. Rumors of an imminent suicide bomb attack led to a mass panic )the stampede(. The panicked crowd focked to the bridge. The pressure of the crowd caused the bridge’s iron railings to give way, dropping hundreds of people into the Tigris River. Young Othman Ali Abdul Hafez, a baker and swimmer athlete from Al Adhemiya, rescued many people from the water until he drowned himself.
As the incident forms a collective memory, Maha Atteah invited a visitor to recite her poem dedicated to Othman Ali Abdul Hafez (1986-2005) beside Othman’s statue at Antara Square. The sculpture was created by Khaleel Chamis and unveiled in 2018. It is an excellent example of art in public space, honoring ordinary people and their noble deeds to assist others in need, when the authorities are absent.
15_ECO.FRIENDS
Baibon Flowers
Baiboun Flowers is a children’s band founded and directed by the musician and trainer Yousr Mokdad. The band presented its second musical performance after a two-month training workshop in Bait Tarkib. Baiboun Flowers is dedicated to raising awareness of Iraq’s climate vulnerability and its effects on nature, humanity, and daily life.
Over a two-month workshop, kids and teens engaged with topics related to the environment, climate change challenges, and recycling methods via movies, music, and songs. The outcome are two musical pieces. The uniforms and instruments of the band are created from recycled materials that the children crafted themselves. Alongside the trainer, they performed their created songs while reading their own written texts.
Baibon Flowers performed in Al Naaman Park, an amusement park with original carousels, ferris wheels, dodgem cars, and other games built and opened during the 1990s while the Iraqi people lived under the siege. The public park appears somewhat neglected, yet Baibon Flowers brings a fresh vibrancy to the overlooked space.
16_TREE BRIDGE TUNNEL
Muhaned Taha
Muhaned Taha’s iconic billboard is a replica of trafc signs, that usually guide vehicle drivers. With his intervention “Tree, Bridge, Tunnel”, he raises the question: “Will the current city development projects cause us problems in the future?”. His billboard serves as an inquiry into where the infrastructure development projects will direct us to go.
At the beginning of 2023, the Iraqi administration announced the construction of about 19 new bridges in the capital. This is a controversial decision, as it seems to be merely a quick solution for the trafc congestion. Studies on various cities that adopted this approach to address trafc congestion have shown that over time it has created signifcant problems. Green spaces have been lost, yet trafc congestion has not decreased. In fact, green spaces and many pedestrian pathways have been reduced since the announcement in 2023, creating a concrete environment that further increases temperature and air pollution due to the lack of greenery.
Visitors immediately engage in a conversation with the artist because he speaks from their hearts. Many Iraqis view the current infrastructural development projects with skepticism and doubt their sustainable future prospects. This includes projects that transform areas into recreational spaces for Baghdad residents and tourist destinations for visitors to the city, such as the redevelopment project of Abu Nawas Corniche as part of the “Baghdad Ajmal” campaign and the Al Rasheed Camp Development Project to convert the former 5,000 dunams of an air force camp in the Zaafaraniya area southeast of Baghdad into ‘green spaces’. Visitors highlighted that the authorities appear to be shifting their focus, using infrastructure and housing projects to consolidate power while the erosion of democratic values in the country persists.
Hussam Mohammed
Hussam Mohammed’s black-and-white silk-screen print billboard advertises “KIDS FOR RENT”. He alludes to a true story that occurred at the nearby orphanage. This year, it was discovered that the manager of the orphanage was exploiting the children to beg on the streets. Shocked by the abuse of children, who were meant to live under a protective ofcial umbrella, he developed the idea for his campaign. His black-and-white, widely seen advertisement billboard is less a campaign to support child labor; it poses more of a question about who protects children’s rights.
In 2021, the Iraqi High Commission for Human Rights (IHCHR) released its report on the unfortunate situation in Iraq regarding the overall conditions of the population. The Commission announced that fve million children are orphaned, about fve percent of the total orphans in the world. The number was based on UNICEF fgures and statistics of the Iraqi Ministry of Planning and UN agencies, or complaints received by the Commission. When considering that this percentage is calculated amid the chaos and poor coordination pervasive in state institutions in Iraq, and that many children are not registered for reasons that are manifold and complex, one can only imagine that the real numbers are far worse. Therefore, Hussam Mohammed’s question is legitimate: who protects the rights of children?
17_ROBA DINAR
18_MUDHLEM
Othman Al Tememy
For Othman Al Tememy, a vehicle symbolizes a person who demonstrates humanity in a unique manner. For Baghdad Walk, he converted his 33-year-old German Volkswagen vehicle into a potential future depiction of the consequences for human bodies if efforts are not made to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The upcycling installation symbolizes the level of suffocation we have attained, as if one day we might burst from the volume of gas and pollution inside us. The obstruction of a vehicle’s or a human’s exhaust system goes beyond just breathing; it can immobilize certain components, preventing them from functioning correctly and operating efciently.
He states: “In my artworks, the car typically symbolizes living beings or conveys human expressions uniquely. With “Mudhlem” (darkness), I aim to highlight that greenhouse gases surrounding the environment have permeated every part of our bodies. They have begun to crowd and stife every area inside us and have become signifcant barriers to our breathing. “Mudhlem” demonstrates the level of suffocation we have reached, which is starting to surpass the body’s limits and extend beyond, as though we might one day burst from the volume of gases and pollution within us. Here, we can assert that this vast suffocation pertains not only to the present but will impact future generations even more. Moreover, the work does not solely represent a lack of airfow; it also signifes a hindrance to our functioning, indicating that it could restrict certain body parts, rendering us immobile, incapable of moving properly, and unable to live our lives naturally.”
19_BPA
Teeba Al Hamed
The ceramist Teeba Al Hamed highlights, through her work, the impact of plastic on water quality and its implications for human health. Her recycling sculpture, made from plastic water bottles, takes the shape of Bisphenol A (BPA), with a tuft-like red wire net emerging from it. Presenting in front of the Medical College, she explained with medical precision, and her presentation evolved into a lecture performance.
She explains: “BPA is a chemical substance mainly used in producing specifc plastics to enhance the fexibility and durability of products, such as for making water dispensers, food storage bins, and refllable drink bottles. These chemicals can leach into foods and drinks, especially when plastic containers are heated, which is often the case during the hot summer period in Iraq, or come into contact with acidic or fatty foods. The kidneys play a crucial role in fltering waste and excess fuid from the blood. BPA may lead to an accumulation of toxins in the kidneys, reducing their efciency. This can result in protein in the urine and the development of chronic kidney disease, highlighting the potential impact of plastic on the kidney’s health.
The red wire represents the structure of the renal glomerulus, a tufted network of blood capillaries located in the kidney that plays a role in the blood fltration process. Glomerular fltration is the frst step in making urine. This process is used by the kidneys to flter excess fuid and waste products from the blood into the urine-collecting tubules in the kidney. BPA can lead to in glomerular maldevelopment and dysfunction, which can cause renal diseases.”
Teeba Al Hamed calls on visitors to reduce plastic consumption. Proper kidney function is vital for overall health, and impaired kidney function can lead to serious health conditions like hypertension, electrolyte imbalances, and toxic buildup in the body.
20_THE LISTENER
Hassan Elnargc
The installation THE LISTENER addresses the complex experience of loneliness, which involves feeling disconnected or isolated from others, even when surrounded by people. Hassan Elnargc used bricks to construct a circular wall shaped like a well, conveying a sense of loneliness. He painted some of the bricks with his imaginings of people’s feelings when they talk to a wall. Loneliness is not just about being alone-it is about how a person perceives social relationships and whether they feel emotionally fulflled or ignored. The installation visualizes his feeling of loneliness as: “It’s like talking to a brick wall.”
His work is a fne example of upcycling, demonstrating how to transform an object to visualize a concept in order to convey a deeply considered message. He installed his piece in front of the main gate of the Iraqi Royal Cemetery. Envisioning the sensation of loneliness, you may picture yourself within Hassan Elnargc’s well, encircled by walls that evoke a feeling akin to being in a tomb. He explains to visitors that he chose yellow bricks because the mausoleum is constructed from the same material, and he placed his work in front of the cemetery to emphasize his belief that King Faisal I experienced loneliness.
Faisal I bin Al Hussein bin Ali Al Hashemi )1885-1933( was the frst king of the new Kingdom of Iraq under British administration, enthroned in 1921. Shortly before his death in September 1933, King Faisal I refected the fractious and divided society that constituted the precarious underpinnings of the state he had helped to establish. With his death, the modern state, with its diverse ethnicities and confessions, lost its urgently needed mediator. Contemplating on the history following his death up to the present time, one can envision his sense of loneliness.
Iraqi Royal Cemetery
The Royal Cemetery, located in the Safna area of Al Adhemiya, holds the remains of eleven members of the Hashemite family that ruled Iraq from 1921 to 1958, including the grave tomb of King Faisal I, his son King Ghazi, and his grandson King Faisal II. The yellow-bricked building with three turquoise domes was built between 1934 and 1936 and is a fne example of Colonial British Architecture (CBA) in Iraq. The complex was designed and its construction was supervised by the British architect J.B. Cooper, who served the royal family as the ofcial architect.
Cooper tried to combine characteristics of local architecture and typical Islamic features shaped by modern British design. The central dome with turquoise tiles, the scale of the entire complex, and its function are similar to Great Britain’s Royal Burial Ground at Frogmore. The building is composed of yellow bricks, as it was the primary building material used in local architecture at that time. The facades and porticos are adorned with ceramics featuring ornamental patterns characteristic for Islamic design and architecture. The ceiling of the entrance is decorated with coloured patterned Muqarnas elements.
The garden has two fountains that lead to the mausoleum under the three turquoise domes. The middle dome is 22.5 meters high, while the two domes to the left and right are 12 meters high. The eastern and western facades rely on a series of double-column vaults that cover the left and right porticos. These two porticos do not separate the enclosed space behind them.
The cemetery had long been neglected. Due to the visit of King Abdullah II of Jordan in March 2021, the complex and its neighborhood were renovated. King Faisal I and his successors are all direct cousins of King Abdullah II of Jordan and part of the Hashemite family.
BAGHDAD WALK EXHIBITION in Bait Tarkib
26.12.2023 - 25.1.2025
The group exhibition and art walk in the public space, BAGHDAD WALK, is site-specifc and temporary. Therefore, the documentation of the walk and presented works are on display in Bait Tarkib from 26 December 2024 to 25 January 2025. Visitors are invited to a guided tour through the entire house to explore the works and the artist’s messages. This allows the essence of the walk in public space to resonate more widely and deeply, extending its impact and legacy.
This booklet was published on the occasion of the 7th edition of BAGHDAD WALK, an annual series of workshops in artistic activism (artivism) culminating in a group exhibition in public space. This year’s edition took place on Al Rasheed Street on December 6, 2024, and in Al Adhemiya on December 7, 2024.
Baghdad Walk is part of the program line “Tarkib for Artivism” and is conceived and organized by Tarkib in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Baghdad, spanning three years from 2024 to 2026.
Design and Layout: ART TC
Workshops and Curatorial Support: Hella Mewis, Zaid Saad
Workshop Inputs: Noura )Humat Dijla(, Rania Matta )UNAMI Human Rights Ofce(
Text: Hella Mewis
Translation: Zaid Saad
Photos: Hella Mewis, Mounir Salah
