Edited with text and interview by Katherine D. Alcauskas. Introduction by Tracy L. Adler. Text by Rijin Sahakian.
On a sculptural recreation of a room from an ancient Iraqi palace, in the wake of lootings by Western archaeologists and ISIS
Using Arab-language newspapers and wrappers from food products imported from the Middle East, Iraqi American artist Michael Rakowitz (born 1973) has recreated to scale Room H from the Northwest Palace of the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud (Kalhu). Part of a reception suite, Room H was originally lined with seven-foot-tall carved stone reliefs, including an inscription detailing Ashurnasirpal II's achievements and winged male figures, many of which have been removed by Western archaeologists over the last 150 years. Here, Rakowitz has “reappeared” only those panels that were in situ in Room H when the remains of the palace were destroyed by the jihadist group the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2015. Areas from which the reliefs had already been removed by 19th-century archaeologists are left blank, resulting in what Rakowitz calls “a palimpsest of different moments of removal.”
Featured image is reproduced from 'Michael Rakowitz: Nimrud'.
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FORMAT: Hbk, 10 x 11.25 in. / 144 pgs / 120 color / 20 b&w. LIST PRICE: U.S. $45.00 LIST PRICE: CANADA $61 GBP £35.00 ISBN: 9781636810256 PUBLISHER: DelMonico Books/Wellin Museum of Art, Hamilton College AVAILABLE: 11/30/2021 DISTRIBUTION: D.A.P. RETAILER DISC: TRADE PUBLISHING STATUS: Active AVAILABILITY: In stock TERRITORY: WORLD
Published by DelMonico Books/Wellin Museum of Art, Hamilton College. Edited with text and interview by Katherine D. Alcauskas. Introduction by Tracy L. Adler. Text by Rijin Sahakian.
On a sculptural recreation of a room from an ancient Iraqi palace, in the wake of lootings by Western archaeologists and ISIS
Using Arab-language newspapers and wrappers from food products imported from the Middle East, Iraqi American artist Michael Rakowitz (born 1973) has recreated to scale Room H from the Northwest Palace of the ancient Assyrian city of Nimrud (Kalhu). Part of a reception suite, Room H was originally lined with seven-foot-tall carved stone reliefs, including an inscription detailing Ashurnasirpal II's achievements and winged male figures, many of which have been removed by Western archaeologists over the last 150 years. Here, Rakowitz has “reappeared” only those panels that were in situ in Room H when the remains of the palace were destroyed by the jihadist group the Islamic State (ISIS) in 2015. Areas from which the reliefs had already been removed by 19th-century archaeologists are left blank, resulting in what Rakowitz calls “a palimpsest of different moments of removal.”
