World of Books
Purchase "WORLD OF BOOKS"
A commemorative project for the Al-Mutannabi Street Coalition, honoring freedom of expression. Sixty-two full color photographs of bookshelves with contributors' statements.
“WORLD OF BOOKS” 2012 OFFERS A SYMBOLIC REPLACEMENT OF BOOKS LOST IN THE BOMBING OF AL-MUTANNABI STREET. I SENT A REQUEST TO FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES AROUND THE WORLD, INVITING THEM TO SEND ME A PHOTO OF A BOOKSHELF. I PICTURED MAKING A BOOK THAT WOULD RECONSTRUCT AN INTERNATIONAL LIBRARY OF BOOK SHELVES.
Medium
Archival ink-jet printing on acid free paper, Coptic binding, linen board covers with title stamped in red foil. 78 pages.
First Edition of five hand bound copies printed at Electric Works, San Francisco.
Three of these books will be circulating in international exhibitions sponsored by the Al-Mutanabbi Street Coalition, from 2013 to 2015.
EACH OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE BOOK IS ACCOMPANIED BY A STATEMENT.
THE FOLLOWING IS EXCERPTED FROM THE BOOK:
IRADA AL JABBOURI, BAGHDAD, IRAQ
WHEN I WAS LITTLE I USED TO HEAR PEOPLE SAY “WHEN YOU’RE ABROAD, IN A STRANGE PLACE, MONEY IS YOUR HOMELAND.” THEN, I DIDN’T UNDERSTAND THE MEANING OF “HOMELAND” NOR THE VALUE OF MONEY. IN MY TWENTIES, I KNEW THAT THE HOMELAND WAS A PLACE WITH PEOPLE WE LOVED AND MEMORIES WE WERE KEEN TO PRESERVE. IN MY THIRTIES I KNEW THAT THE HOMELAND WAS A PLACE WE LOVED, WHERE WE HAD A LIBRARY AND A TREE WHICH, WHENEVER WE PASSED IT, WE’D SAY, “THIS IS MY FAVORITE TREE.” WHEN WE BEGAN LOSING PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY DIED OR EMIGRATED, AND IT BECAME DIFFICULT TO SEE PLACES AND TREES, THE HOMELAND BECAME SHELVES CRAMMED WITH BOOKS, LIKE CHILDREN WAITING AT THE WINDOW FOR THEIR MOTHER TO COME BACK HOME.
(TRANSLATED BY MAYSOON PACHACHI IN LONDON.)
