Venice Biennale 2011: Iraq
Wounded Water. Six Iraqi artists interpret the theme of water. Fondazione Gervasuti, Venice.
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Destnuej (Purification). 2011
Video installation
7' 30''
An older man, dressed only in traditional Kurdish pants, uses a clay bowl to bathe himself. The act of pouring here is a dangerous one, as the old rituals of cleansing with clay bowls and local water are no longer viable, as contaminated sources are introducing and spreading disease in rural and urban areas alike. The use of traditional dress on the man hints at a danger not only to the indi¬vidual himself, but to a distinct populus and way of life. The destruction of bodies with what might be seen as a pure element, parallels Nanakeli's own wrangling with a nostalgia disturbed by the developments in the purity memorialized in one's imagination as "home."
Rijin Sahakian, exhibition catalogue
© Photo: Haupt & Binder
Wounded Water. Six Iraqi artists interpret the theme of water. Fondazione Gervasuti, Venice.