Iraq: Yet, Roses Still Bloom

The Legacy Collection: Iraq

This is where it all began for me. On July 29th, 1989 – born in Baghdad, between two wars.

My father served as a soldier under Saddam Hussein’s regime and was forced into war, where survival on the front lines was never guaranteed.

My mother carried the responsibility of raising my brother and me during long periods of uncertainty and fear, holding our family together while we waited and prayed for my father’s return.

There were days when the world outside felt like it was collapsing, and all we could do was sit in silence in the hallway as bombs fell around us. We would turn off the lights, hide any sign of life inside our home, and try to remain unseen in a time when even being visible could be dangerous.

Life became more and more fragile. Borders constantly opened and closed with little to no warning, and the opportunity for safety grew smaller with each passing day.

My mother had already endured almost losing her brother as a prisoner of war, to now never knowing if her husband would return from war. It was then that she decided she could not let her son live the same fate.

On June 18th, 1991 – we fled Iraq, my father’s youngest brother joining us as we began a new life in Jordan.

As a Chaldean artist, this painting is rooted in memory, ancestry, and faith. Every brushstroke honors my Babylonian heritage, our Christian faith, and the homeland we were forced to leave behind.

Yet, roses still bloom.
Beautiful. Strong. Resilient.
Just like the people.

This art is for all of us Iraqis who carry a piece of our home in our hearts.

The Legacy Collection is a watercolor series created to honor my family’s journey through war, immigration, displacement, and ultimately, freedom. More than landscapes, borders, and national symbols, these artworks represent sacrifice, survival, faith, identity, and the courage to begin again.