Welcoming Kholod Hawash to AR Saari Residence/Saastamoinen Residency

We are pleased to welcome Kholod Hawash, an accomplished Iraqi textile artist, who joins us as an Artists at Risk (AR) Safe Haven resident with her husband, Saddam Jumaily.

The couple’s first stop will be the Saaren kartano – Saari residence, funded by Koneen Säätiö – Kone Foundation in Mynämäki, Southwest Finland, as part of the joint AR programme with Saastamoisen säätiö – Saastamoinen Foundation Residency in Helsinki. They will continue as part of the new longer-term AR-ICORN Safe Haven Helsinki Residency.

Kholod Hawash is a self-taught textile artist, born in Albasra, Iraq, in 1977. Her work is inspired by the heritage and archaeological landscapes of the region she is from. Its bold symbols and forms convey strong local narratives. Due to the persecution of her husband and others in her circle, Kholod sought refuge in Amman, Jordan where she is currently based.

Kholod has participated in many group exhibitions in Iraq and Jordan as well as having held solo shows at Jacaranda Gallery (2010) and Dar Al Anda Gallery (2018) in Jordan.

With the City of Helsinki becoming a member of the International City of Refuge Network (ICORN), one AR-Residency per year is designated as an AR-ICORN Residency, forming an integral part of AR-Safe Haven Helsinki’s longer-term stay programme. This programme is as always curated by Perpetuum Mobile (PM) and will be co-hosted with HIAP – Helsinki International Artist Programme. It is funded by the Department of Culture and Leisure of the City of Helsinki. The AR Secretariat is generously funded by Kone Foundation.

Kholod Hawash is an Artists at Risk (AR) Resident at AR-Saari Residence. The AR-Network is curated by Perpetuum Mobile (PM) and is coordinated by the AR-Secretariat, co-funded by Kone Foundation. This residency is funded by Kone Foundation in Mynämäki, Southwest Finland, as part of the joint Artists at Risk (AR) programme with Saastamoinen Foundation. Together with Saddam Jumaily, Kholod Hawash will continue as a resident of the new longer-term AR-ICORN Safe Haven Helsinki Residency.