Al-Mutanabbi

a project in response to the destruction of a centuries old street of book sellers in Baghdad.

The project initiated by the poet Beau Beausoleil called for works by book artists worldwide.
Each artist was asked to submit three books; here is my contribution in responding to the ugly, mindless, fueled by blind fanaticism act of destruction.

The design and content for my Al-Mutanabbi Street book was formed as a therapeutic approach to the strong emotions I felt while reading the “news” of the event; it is based on my belief, hope and wish for humanity's survival. I don't usually have text in my works, but this time I felt necessary to include my written "explanation”:

close-up detail

As long as we breathe, 

as long as we reason,

as long as we love and fall in love

There will be stories written,

history will be told

The Al-Mutanabbi streets of the world

will always exist, will always flourish.

unfolded back view

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for more on Al Mutanabbi Street and the project:
from Huffington Post:  Al-Mutanabbi Street: Not Turning the Page
Artists' Books on  An inventory of Al-Mutanabbi Street
Mutanabbi Street (Arabic: شارع المتنبي) is located in Baghdad, Iraq, near the old quarter of Baghdad; at Al Rasheed Street.^[1] It is the historic center of Baghdad bookselling, a street filled with bookstores and outdoor book stalls. It was named after the 10th century classical Iraqi poet Al-Mutanabbi. This street is well established for bookselling and has often been referred to as the heart and soul of the Baghdad literacy and intellectual community.