Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project

"Still/Chaos" by Sama Alshaibi and Dena Al-Adeeb is one of the defining images of NOT ABOUT BOMBS, a new exhibit presented by the Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project. The exhibit features contemporary works from female Iraqi artists and runs February 3 - March 3.

“The Western media is rampant with preconceived notions about women in the Middle East. In an unfortunate display of ethnocentrism, it seems to have trouble getting past hijabs and veils. Women are depicted as subservient and oppressed, and the conversation doesn’t go much further. ‘Not About Bombs’ is challenging that notion in a major way. ‘I want to know what these women are feeling and thinking,’says curator Tricia Khutoretsky. ‘There’s so much going on in the Middle East right now and women are playing a really major role in change. There are a lot of other discussions that can happen.’”

- “What Lies Beneath,” Tony Wagner (MN Daily)

NOT ABOUT BOMBS is set to begin with an opening reception on February 3, 2012 at Intermedia Arts in Minneapolis. However, we must raise at least $2,400 more to pull it off and avoid scaling back programming. Please consider a gift today to help amplify the voices of female Iraqi artists and make NOT ABOUT BOMBS possible.

By making a contribution, you’ll help present authentic female perspectives in place of stereotypes. NOT ABOUT BOMBS addresses how female voices can fit into the modern context of turmoil and conflict through art and avoid falling into the ways that women are represented… and misrepresented.  The women in NOT ABOUT BOMBS contribute art that is visually and conceptually accomplished, but unpredictable and emotionally engaging.

As curator Tricia Khutoretsky says, NOT ABOUT BOMBS is about the war in Iraq and its effects on women, but less about the practical effects of war and more about how women respond to it emotionally and how their identity is affected by it: “It’s about what women are dealing with or what their thought process is, having been part of a country that’s been at war for the past 10 years.”

By supporting this exhibit with at least a $25 donation, you’ll also get a 12×18 exhibit poster. Thank you for your support!

After the exhibit ends, we plan to build on this and our two previous exhibits, Navigating the Aftermath and The Art of Conflict, to support and strengthen communities of people affected by war and bring the discussion on the effects of war and the lives of those affected into a mainstream audience of Americans.

Here is what some attendees of Navigating the Aftermath said about the exhibit:

• “Beautiful, heartbreaking art work. A reminder that art of all kinds captures and expresses the human condition and experience like nothing else does.”
• “Deepened my awareness of the long-term personal devastation war causes on a society and its peoples”
• “It’s good to see how creative and resilient Iraq’s artists are”
• “I hadn’t seen the Iraqis in this light before.”
• “What a collection of tragic stories shared and based on “both sides” of the Iraq war. Powerful!”
• “The subject matter of both the exhibit and the film was relevant and had an immediacy that captured the audience.”
• “The interactive SPEAK table was extraordinary, giving people an opportunity to share their own comments & experiences.”
• “A 10!  I thought it was very thought provoking and engaging, and eye opening! In a very un-shaded way – the truth was shared by way of interviews and artwork.”

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Journey Home – A Story of the Iraqi Diaspora

American troops are due to leave Iraq by December 31st, 2011. Despite having a trained military and reduced incidence of violence, the future of Iraq is uncertain. While armed forces can be trained to protect citizens, the infrastructure and well-being of a people are not so easily repaired. While the USA will soon eliminate its military presence, the outside world has had very few accurate glimpses into the daily struggle for Iraqis and refugees in neighboring countries.

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Below are images from schools and a mosque in Najaf, Iraq, where water filtration units were recently installed by the Iraqi and American Reconciliation Project and our partner, the Muslim Peacemaker Teams. Thanks to donors St. Augustine Church, Cohasset, MN; Albuquerque Mennonite Faith Community, Albuquerque, NM; and Community Presbyterian Church, Cohasset, MN.

Water for Peace is a partnership between Iraqis and Americans to restore access to clean water in Iraqi schools and hospitals. It is a way for Americans and Iraqis to work together to build trust and partnership in place of conflict and fear. To learn more, visit http://waterforpeaceproject.org.

Here are a few of the people affected by IARP’s work in 2010. Thank you to all of our supporters.

All photos by Alex Potter