Iraqi artist paints Rumsfeld gloating over ruins of Iraq

[npincus]

http://www.breitbart.com/news/2006/11/14/061114170431.ikrbbjw8.html



Moayyed Mohsen likes to paint great figures from Iraq's past like the mythical hero Gilgamesh. But this year he turned his talents to another larger-than-life subject in his country's history -- Donald Rumsfeld. Dominating the wall of a Baghdad art gallery in the Sunni neighborhood of Adhamiyah is a massive mural that is no tribute to the outgoing US defense secretary.

Rumsfeld is depicted leaning back reading papers, with combat-boot-clad feet propped up on a ruined building. Beside him is a weathered image of the Lion of Babylon -- potent symbol of Iraq's illustrious past -- atop a ruined plinth. The US official is surrounded by whirling bits of paper that morph into birds and fly off into the distance.

The artist's image is striking and it was conceived in anger -- not just over the occupation of Iraq but also over what Mohsen sees as the humiliation of a nation that once taught mankind how to write.

<snip>

"When I painted this, I felt I wanted to talk to Rumsfeld, to know why we got into this situation," he said, saying the one meter by a meter and a half (3.3 by 4.9 feet) painting took three months to complete.

[MADem]

1. Funny. Wonder if the guy knew that Rummy does wear hiking boots at work.

Not "combat boots" but clunky hiking boots. What's also interesting is that Rummy almost NEVER sits at work, so the example photo the artist used to illustrate the guy is a rarity in itself. He normally stands--he works (heh, heh, soon we will say WORKED) at a draftsman's table. Of course, the pose IS a clear insult, as anyone who has lived in the area knows:

Mohsen, who loves reading American magazines, said his model was a photograph he found of Rumsfeld. "The way he sat was very strange to us here in the East -- it is an insult to those around," he said.

In the Middle East, showing the soles of one's feet is considered very poor manners, so the Rumsfeld in the painting automatically offends the viewer.

The Lion of Babel atop a ruined perch sends another message.

"I decided to make the base of the statue a bookcase containing volumes on the arts, literature and knowledge left by Iraqis," he said. "Then I destroyed the base to symbolize the repeated wars and showed the papers flying through the air and changing into white birds showing love and peace to the world."

By juxtaposing his subject with ancient monuments, Mohsen sought to pit the endurance of history against the fleeting nature of man -- an apt visual statement, it turned out, in light of Rumsfeld's resignation. ...

[bloom]

2. That's pretty cool.

(I thought there was a new word I didn't know golating - but no - it's supposed to be gloating).

[npincus]

3. oops- ya got me!

tee hee

thanks for pointing out the letter reversal. I type fast, but make a lot of mistakes. I usually don't catch them all!

[bloom]

4. Spell check has made me lazy

I can type badly and then have the spell check fix it. :)