Baldin Ahmed
The Age of the World, 2019
Bronze and stones
250 x 250 x 250 cm
This installation conveys a message of love, a huge embracing affection towards the heritage of civilization at a time when this heritage is threatened by extremist forces, mainly in the territories of ancient Mesopotamia. The installation sends an invitation to meditate upon the future of our cultural heritage. The sculpture representing the Lady of Warka (3200 B.C.) is the focal point of the work. Leaning on the ground, the stone-made square is meant to evoke the ideal order as a symbol of the juxtaposition of earth and sky, and to celebrate the universe.
Artist’s biography
Baldin Ahmad is an Iraqi Kurdish-Italian artist based in Utrecht, the Netherlands. His artwork is an intensive exploration of personal experiences and events, and a long meditation about the pain engendered by any type of conflict. He works mainly with installation and video installation, as well as painting and sculpture.
Ahmad was educated at the Institute of Fine Art in Baghdad (1969-1974), the Academy of Fine Art in Rome and Florence (1974-1979) and the University of Bologna DAMS (1979-1982). He has participated in a number of international exhibitions, including the 53th Venice Art Biennale “Planet K” Kurdish pavilion (2009); “Outlook” National Museum, Cracow, Poland (2003); “Grenzelos” City Hall Vienna, Austria (2002); Palazzo Granafei-Nervegna, Brindisi, Italy (2012); Kunst RAI Amsterdam, NL (2001); Folkloristic Museum, Rome, Italy (1982). He also exhibited solo in Palazzo Strozzi, Florence, Italy, in 1979.