Art Home Lands , 2012
Oded Halahmy, Iraq
| Art Home Lands, Oded Halahmy, Baghdad,
Jerusalem, New York, August 2012 I have been creating paintings and sculptures for over five decades, and now for the first time I am combining the artistry of poetry with the visual expression of paintings and sculpture. The poems appear in the three languages of my three homelands: Hebrew, Arabic, and English. This project brought me back to my childhood in Baghdad. When Iraqis want to read, the first place they turn to is Al-Mutanabbi Street, a Mecca for all writers, poets, novelists, students and anyone who is thirsty for knowledge. I remember my mother and I would walk from our home to Al-Mutanabbi Street so we could purchase books. From Al Mutanabbi Street we would walk to the Shorjah Market, where we always bought our groceries from the many vendors in the market. I loved to learn, so these trips became food for the mind, for the body and for the soul. This book is dedicated to the living spirit of Al-Mutanabbi Street, to those who lost their lives in its destruction, and to those who aim to keep its memory alive. It is also dedicated to my Father and Mother, rest in peace. 8.5 x 11.25 inches. Hardcover book Oded Halahmy was born in Baghdad, the start of an artistic and geographical journey that has been integral to his life and work. Halahmy and his family moved to Israel in 1951, and in 1966 he was admitted to St. Martin's School of Art in London, after which he taught for two years at the Ontario College of Art in Toronto, Canada, then moved to New York City, where he has been living and sculpting since 1971. His works are in the collection of the Guggenheim Museum in New York City, the Hirschhorn Museum in Washington, DC, and the Israel Museum in Jerusalem, as well as many other museums and public and private collections around the world. The Oded Halahmy Foundation for the Arts was created to fund original artistic expressions that promote a greater cultural understanding of the Middle East, thereby fostering peace and hope around the world. http://odedhalahmy.com www.pomgallery.com |