Paint & textile on Cotton

The work below draws inspiration from an ancient Iraqi tribal art from the south known as Izar-As-Samawa, samawa or sumawa, which translates to embroidered wedding blankets from the marshland town of Samawa. This art practice was prevalent from around the 1960s-1980s, and was primarily practiced by young women. Every woman, primarily from the Ma’dan community (Marsh Arabs) embroidered a blanket for her wedding and continued doing so to commemorate each special occasion. The blanket was for everyday use, and was rarely ever considered an heirloom item. It is a testimonial of a way of life, a culture that is now gone.