FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Dann Hayes, Director of Media Relations 641-269-4834

January 18, 2002

Iraqi art and literature from around the world on display at Grinnell College

GRINNELL, Iowa -Historically known as Mesopotamia, the ancient land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers has often been referred to as the "Cradle of Civilization." The artworks from that ancient region, now known as Iraq, have been praised as one of the greatest achievements of mankind-treasured by museums worldwide.

That tradition continues today, illustrated by the exhibition "Iraqi Art and Literature Around the World," at Grinnell College's Faulconer Gallery. The exhibit of artwork and poetry by 35 Iraqi artists and writers living around the world will open January 29 and run through March 15. An opening reception will be from 7-8:30 p.m. on January 29.

"In recent years, an innovative body of artwork by Iraqi artists has emerged to contribute a diverse, yet distinct, vocabulary to the kaleidoscope of contemporary art across the globe," said Kay Wilson Jenkins, curator of the exhibition at Grinnell College. "The works on display are undeniably modern. They provide an insight into the complexities of each artist's life, and they create space for reflection on recent world events."

The art is unmistakably Iraqi, she says, but its importance transcends the borders of Iraq.

"The artists are of Iraqi origin, but for political, economic, or personal reasons they have found themselves dispersed around the world," Jenkins said. "This exhibition is an embodiment of communication between different cultures, and the works on display are a testament to the futility of drawing absolute boundaries between the peoples of the world."

A symposium on "Iraqi Diaspora and Culture" is planned in conjunction with the exhibition on January 30 and 31. On Wednesday, January 30, there will be poetry readings by Dunya Mikhail; Dr. Fadhil al-Azzawi; and Fadhil Anoun Obaid Assultani from 4:15 to 8 p.m. in the Forum South Lounge, Grinnell College.

On Thursday, January 31, Dr. McGuire Gibson, Oriental Institute of the University of Chicago, will give the convocation speech titled "Civilization Under Embargo," 11 a.m. at the Harris Center, Grinnell College.

The convocation will be followed by Dr. Elizabeth Fernea, University of Texas, Austin, who will give a lecture titled "Return to Iraq, 1996" at 4:15 p.m. in the Forum South Lounge, Grinnell College.

The symposium is sponsored by the Rosenfield Program in Public Affairs, International Relations, and Human Rights, and the Center for International Studies. Support for the symposium is also provided by the Writers' Conference of the Department of English, the Faulconer Gallery, and the Noun Program in Women's Studies.

Rebwar, an Iraqi Kurdish artist and one of the artists of the exhibit, will conduct the workshop "Color and Words" on Saturday, March 2, from 1 to 3 p.m., Faulconer Gallery, Grinnell College.

To access information on the Iraqi exhibit, go to http://www.grinnell.edu/faulconergallery/ on the Grinnell College website.

The gallery hours are 12 (noon) to 5 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday, and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday through Saturday. The exhibition is free of charge and open to the general public.

The Faulconer Gallery is located on the first floor of the Bucksbaum Center for the Arts, Sixth Avenue and Park Street, on the campus of Grinnell College. For more information, call 641-269-4660.