Haider Abbas and Faisal Al Saadi

Mt Pritchard, a southwestern suburb of Sydney, isn’t normally associated with a busy art scene. However, yesterday, in an event hosted by the Iraqi Australian University Graduates Forum, two artists were honoured for their achievements and their works displayed to a gasping crowd of mostly Iraqi community members in this cosy suburb.

Haider Abbas and Faisal Al Saadi are not household names (as of yet) but their mastery of their craft was exhibited yesterday through a series of presentations accompanied by soulful Iraqi music. Both artists spoke melancholically and in appreciation of the opportunities and freedoms afforded by the Australian art community embracing their works in galleries such as Mary Place in Paddington, Casula Powerhouse & Blacktown Arts Centre. More interesting though was how this was contrasted with stories of living under the restrictive regime of Saddam Hussein causing them to uproot their lives and families all the while carrying the burden of witnessing death in the face.

Of this Abbas intimated “my work is about listening to the depths of the soul…and understanding the body as its external mirror” while Al Saadi ruminated on memories of the majestic nature of his homeland and the primacy of the two rivers throughout.

The second part of this cultural event had one of the Arab world’s most famous qanun (think of a horizontal harp) players, Mohammed Saleh, serenading the crowd to a state of musical ecstasy. In the tightly cramped conference room because of the steady flow of community members adorned by familiar Australiana décor of the club where it was held, Saleh transformed the space acoustically with his mingle hands on many strings coalescing into a distinct musical sentimentality.

Perhaps the most touching moment of this night was a sense of pride from a people who have been ravaged by psychological and physical losses and was beautifully encapsulated when Abbas said “no religion or political party brings us together but art did tonight”.

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