The Eyes on Dara Aram

KaziwaSalih

Painting and music are similar to love; they have an international language. No matter what language you speak, or even if you can’t speak, the eye languages will fascinate you, will feed your imagination, and shake your heart.

When Contemporary painter Dara Aram left Kurdistan in 1988 (in 17th of March 1988, was the brutal massacre of the oppressed and innocent people of Halabja by the Iraqi regime. It was commanded by Saddam Hussein's cousin Ali Hassan al-Majid in his capacity as head of the Northern Bureau of the ruling Ba’ath party.                                     

 In 23-02 of the same year, not long after this infamous crime, the regime began its ANFAL military campaign.  Within a few months 182 thousands Kurdish civilians were transferred from Kurdish villages towards southern Iraq.  Afterwards we learned they had been buried alive in great trenches. In addition,the regime vandalized 4500 town and villages.) Therefore, many Kurds fled seeking for protection. Dara is one those whochose Canada as a homeland.  He started painting, and language didn’t impede him. As long as he had his prolific profession and creative skills that reflected his vision’s language, the tongue’s language was not important.

Aram has exhibited over 80 solo and group shows worldwide in galleries and museums, including Japan, Germany, the Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, the UK, the Middle East and North America. He has received numerous grants and awards and has lectured and taught at a number of colleges, universities, elementary and secondary schools. He has donated numerous works to charities and cultural events.

Sometimes being in exile becomes the burial ground of creativity, sometimes it inspires creativity; defies dusk, to craft a scope for light. But Aram said,“Canada has given me freedom, dignity, and a recognition of respect for the human being, a recognition that I didn’t have in my birth place, Kurdistan under dictatorial regimes. It has given me an opportunity to start a new life in a diverse society.  Canada has opened doors to the development of my career as a visual artist.  It has become my safe haven, a place where I can meet many friends in a vast, beautiful country and where I can enjoy the peace and the enriching opportunities.  I can honestly say that Canada has not taken anything from me but has given much.”

It’s not surprising to hear appreciable praise from the artist, as long as the most worthy treasure for creativity is the place to find a scope for one’s self, and obtain positive feedback from those fascinated by a glint of creativity more than wink of treasure, as Aram experienced.

“Several examples of these opportunities are; I was a board director for the Scarborough Arts Council; I was on the program committee and a juror for A Space; I was a juror for selecting artists’ grants at the Toronto Arts Council; In 1999, I received an award for the best abstract painter amongst 100 other artists at the Toronto Arts Outdoor Show; I have received 12 arts grants from the period 1994 to 2008 through the Ontario Arts Council.  I can honestly say that Canada has not taken anything from me but has given much.”

Artists, since time immemorial, have conveyed their message with images rather than logical, linear statements.  That is what Aram believes. It is a journey into the imaginary realms of the unconscious.  The abstract forms and mythological themes that emerge on his canvas serve as an inspiration to the modern industrialized individual, who urgently needs to reconnect with his or her lost soul.  This soul lies languishing under the weight of our modern, cold, corporate world where profits and statistics reign supreme over the human spirit.  Humanity needs desperately to find spiritual security in this mechanized epoch of globalization.  Dara Aram decorated his works with abstract, especiallypaintings that offer themes on Kurds’ issues, Mesopotamian rhythm and Canada beautiful nature.

“Wonderful painting can be made with simple materials and imagination. I used available material to create canvas and paper to draw numerous paintings in acrylics and mixed media. From painting, the viewer gets a visual expression about human history and civilization. It takes us thousands of years, to the significance and recognition of past and present cultural identity and the human spirit; a reminder of the importance of the birth of civilization and its contributions to contemporary times.”

One who has a special imaginary world for oneself has different utensils to express love. I have often said that no matter whether your most loved one is a human or a thing, sometimes we want to be remote from them, to not let love fade into bitter reality. We can articulate that love with our creativity and values. Even if you are far away from your homeland .you don’t have to worry about becoming remote from ones’ self; and nothing whatsoever would remove you from what you love.  This would enable you toput your homeland in your suitcase and take it wherever you go; Aram hasn’t seen his homeland for over 25 years, but he’s always there through his works.

 “When you leave a place that you have considered your home and you are away for a long time, it is difficult to go back because of bad memories…politically, socially and emotionally.  However, you will always have compassion for the birthplace that you no longer are a part of.  I immigrated stateless but was very fortunate in being placed in this country, Canada, which I now call home.”

It is not the end when art becomes the first love, and occupies the entire life of some. The beginning of each new project is like renewing a contract with life. Although Dara Aram can make ends meet, he can’t live without painting and the exquisiteness of colours; the colours that utter all the languages on the globe and require only eye language for communication and understanding.

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