Artist's Sculpture to Aid Iraqi Arts Recovery June 4, 2004 Despite decades of despotism, war and suffering, the Iraqi people's indomitable spirit and longing for peace remains strong, says Iraqi-American artist Najim Chechen. To celebrate that spirit, and to help raise funds for the restoration of Iraqi art treasures destroyed or looted during the U.S. invasion of his country, Chechen has prepared a special collection of sculptured figures for exhibition from June 25-27 at the national headquarters of the Fellowship of Reconciliation-USA, 521 N. Broadway, Nyack, NY 10960. Chechen, a professional artist and art teacher of Otisville, NY, left his homeland 23 years ago to obtain his Master of Fine Arts degree at New York's Pratt Institute. While at Pratt, he was stripped of his Iraqi citizenship by the government of Saddam Hussein and did not return until the U.S. invasion of Iraq in 2003 caused the collapse of the Saddam regime. The artist's first visit to his homeland shocked him: Not only was his large family facing desperate poverty, their livelihoods and society had been destroyed. Chechen went on to wreckage-strewn Baghdad, to find that the art treasures of both ancient Mesopotamia and modern Iraq had fallen victim to wanton destruction. Appalled, he resolved to try to help. Back in the U.S. he began work on more than 100 terra cotta figures representing ordinary Iraqi men, women and children – many depict members of his large, extended family – as well as beloved legendary heroes and heroines that had featured so prominently in his youth. These figures exude anguish and vulnerability, as well as the unquenchable Iraqi dream of freedom and peace. They form the core of the June exhibit: Iraqi women in flowing robes. Children. Old people.  Whirling Dervishes. Aladdin, Scheherazade and Shariyar from The Arabian Nights. "The works in this exhibition reflect the dreams that Iraqi people have, the artist says." The moms, dads and kids of Iraq who dream, like everyone else. I aim to make the invisible spirit and soul visible. All my figures peer out at the world and ask what will come next. They look with anticipation, with hope. They are vulnerable but they love life and have a will to survive." Chechen, who became a U.S. citizen in 1993, has exhibited widely in the metropolitan New York area, the Hudson Valley and in cities all over the United States. He hopes his art will help foster healing and reconciliation in his native land. To that end, he will use part of the proceeds from the exhibition to aid individual Iraqis suffering poverty and privation. The rest of the proceeds will be donated by FOR towards funds for the restoration and recovery of priceless Iraqi art treasures from museums and galleries that were looted and vandalized during the invasion. The exhibition at FOR national headquarters features a presentation by the artist on Friday, June 25 from 7-9 p.m., which will include a 20-minute video of his September 2003 trip to Iraq. The exhibition continues Saturday June 26 and Sunday June 27, with a reception Saturday June 26 from 1-4 p.m. Contacts: Hossein Alizadeh, FOR Iraq Coordinator. (845)358-4601 Jennifer Hyman, FOR Communications Coordinator (845)358-4601 communications@forusa.org For interviews and information about the artist and his work: Caroline Schulz (845) 386-3305 finearts@bestweb.net Read Bio of Najim Chechen   ©2004 Fellowship of Reconciliation