The title of this etching series by Iraqi artist Dia Azzawi is taken from a line of a poem by the acclaimed Palestinian poet, Mahmoud Darwish, “Nahnu la nura illa juthathan” (We Are Not Seen, But, Corpses). Created in 1983, the works were published by the Sabra and Shatila Society in London as a response to the massacre of refugees in Beirut in 1982. They were created alongside the monumental masterpiece, Sabra and Shatila Massacre, 1982-83, which is now part of collection of the Tate Modern, London. Dia Azzawi has been based in London since 1976, and alongside his paintings and sculptural practice, he is an avid print-maker, exploring the medium since the 1970s.
The Palestinian cause has long been close to Azzawi’s heart, and a subject he often explores in his art-making. Most recently an edition of We Are Not Seen, but, Corpses, was displayed alongside his triptych Jenin (2022), and his 10-metre work, Five Children Playing Football: Gaza (2015-2016) at the comprehensive retrospective at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha.
There is a constant co-existence of poetry and literature in Azzawi works, collaborating with writers and poets throughout the region has been a part of his practice since the 1960s, and is recently the subject of an exhibition at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum. Dia Al-Azzawi, Painting Poetry, explores over 40 years of Azzawi’s dafatir (note or sketch books) production and is on view until June 11th 2023. Dafatir, are a combination of text and imagery, an artwork that can be simultaneously monumental in scale as well as easily to move, due to accordion style booklets.
Azzawi’s artwork was the subject of comprehensive retrospective held at Mathaf, Museum of Modern Art, Doha, in 2016-2017, and he has exhibited internationally since the 1960’s. His work can be found in the collections of Guggenheim, Abu Dhabi; Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah; LACMA, Los Angeles; Tate Modern, London and V&A, London, among others.