Radi's Diaries: Exile and Conflict in 2023 - A Chronicle

On this usually shifting, generally wry account of life in Baghdad through the first conflict on Iraq and in exile within the years following, Iraqi-born, British-educated artist Nuha al-Radi reveals us the results of conflict on bizarre individuals. She recounts the day-to-day realities of residing in a metropolis below siege, the place meals needs to be consumed or thrown out as a result of there isn’t a strategy to protect it, the place ultimately individuals can not sleep till the nightly bombing commences, the place packs of stray canine roam the streets (and supply her personal canine Salvi with a harem) and rats invade houses. By way of all of it, al-Radi works at her artwork and gathers with neighbors and household for meals and different events, completely happy and unhappy.

In the aftermath of the conflict, al-Radi leads a semi-exiled life, moving between Beirut, Amman, New York, London, Mexico, and Yemen. Despite facing challenges as an Iraqi in exile, al-Radi vividly portrays a lifestyle shaped by the turmoil and consequences of conflict and embargoes, offering a glimpse into a reality previously beyond our imagination. However, what shines through these diaries is the unwavering spirit of resilience and the appreciation of life's smallest joys.