Behjat Omer abdulla

I have been working with the notion of identity for many years since I first found myself in a state of exile trying to gain recognition by the Immigration system in the UK. It has been over thirteen years since I left my native land, Kurdistan-Iraq.

I’ve often been asked for identity pictures for the various types of ID cards I was required to have and I now own a collection of “self-ID pictures”. My work developed directly from an investigation into the use of these ID cards, what they say about people’s origins, and how these people are ultimately presented at the end of the governmental process.

I try to question the effects and the outcomes of this systemic categorization. It is shocking to see how codes and numbers classify and shape us within a system that, to us, is almost invisible. It is quite surprising and rather fascinating to see that we expect ID photographs to be a true reflection of who we really are, when in fact they only represent a superficial side of our identity; our physical appearance. However, this process of categorisation extends beyond the Immigration services and other governmental departments. The desire to reduce a person to only their photographic image is widespread.

As a mixed media artist working mainly with drawing, photography, and video installation, I use my practise to listen to peoples’ stories and try to create a platform for debate around the issues raised. To me art questions who we are and how we place ourselves in the world. It is a way to be in touch with our responses to life and a way of speaking that allows viewers to translate, decode and change it to their own languages.


e-mail: baha.baha@hotmail.co.uk

Education:
2010 First Class Honours, BA-Fine Art in Staffordshire University. UK.
2010 Awarded the prize for Outstanding Creative Achievement in Fine Art. Staffordshire University.
2006-2007: ABC Level 1 Art design and Creative Studies Digital Imaging. S-O-T College, UK.
1991-1997: Diploma, Sulaimaniyah Institute of Fine Arts. Iraq.

Solo Shows:
2002 A Tribute To All Mothers, The potteries museum & Art Gallery, Stoke-On-Trent. UK

2002 Colour in my memory, Newcastle-U-Lyme, staffs. UK

1994 First solo exhibition, Sulaimaniyah, Iraq.

Group Exhibitions:
2011: “Factory Night”, National Garden Festival, S-O-T, UK
2011: “AVENUE OF PORTRAITS” Hayward Gallery, London, UK
2011: "anti curate" Midland Art Center, Birmingham, UK
2011: "KMQ" slideshow, airspace Gallery, S.O.T, UK

2011: "BE Festival" AE Harris, Birmingham, UK. 

2011: "BE Festival" Midland Art Center, Birmingham, UK.
2011: "KISS ME QUICK" Harbour Arm Gallery, Margate, UK
2011: "Here Is My World" The Crocus Gallery, Nottingham, UK

2011: “DAT fest”, 100 Stories, Stoke-on-Trent, UK

2010: “Conjunction 2010”, airspace gallery, Stoke-on-Trent, UK
2010: Southgate Place, Bath, UK
2010: Black Country Creative Advantage, The Public, West Bromwich, UK
2010: “Derby Big Draw”, HUB, 48 St Peter’s Street, Derby, UK

2010: “Wirksworth Festival”, Newbridge Gallery, Wirksworth UK
2010: “A Familiar Face” – Stoke Town 2010, SHOP, UK
2010: “Amaze” Staffordshire University, S-O-T, UK
2010: “HEP”, Video installation, Iran

2009: “HEP”, Video installation, José Malhoa Museum, Portugal
2009: “World Domination 6”, Schloss Blumenthal, Germany
2009: “HEP”, Video installation, IM BANANAPARK, Berlin, Germany 

2009: “HEP”, Video installation, Guildford Lane Gallery, Melbourne 300, Australia
2009: “Shifting Origin”, Art Waves, Nile Street Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent UK 

2009: “Irresistible”, Staffordshire University, S-O-T, UK
2009: "Home" Burslem School of Art, Queen Street, Burslem, Stoke on Trent. UK

2009: “Oslo Open 2009”, Art film, Oslo, Norway


2008: “Bethesda Splendors”, Video installation, Bethesda Chapel, S-O- T, UK

2007: “Dishinit”, 404 Bowls with 101 People, New Vic Theatre, S-O-T, UK
2007: “Celebrating Sanctuary”, The Pierian Centre Bristol, UK

2007: “Artists Against Racism & Fascism”. Stoke-On-Trent, UK

2007: “The Commemoration of HALABJA Committee”, Manchester, UK


2006: “Straight from the Heart”, The Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, S-O-T, UK
2006: “Second Kurdish Short Film Festival”, Red Cinema, Manchester, UK

2005: “Holocaust Exhibition”, New Vic Theatre. S-O-T. UK
2005: “Piconnectic”, Semi Gallery Staffordshire University, S-O-T, UK

2004: “Beyond Experience, Beyond Appearance”, New Vic Theatre, S-O-T, UK

2004: "Behind the veils", Elective Gallery, Staffordshire University, UK

2003: “Travelling Light”, Art Exchange, The Surface Gallery, Nottingham, UK


1997 Sulaimaniyah institute of fine Arts Gallery. Iraq


1996: “Diwar Band”, media gallery, Sulaimaniyah, Iraq

1996: University of Sulaimaniyah, Iraq


1995: Media Gallery in Iraq


1992: Museum & Art gallery of Sulaimaniyah. Iraq


Commissions and artistic experience:

2011: Kibblesworth Insider Art project, Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK
2011: Barefoot Doctors Summer School’, S-O-T, UK
2011: Curated ‘Kiss Me Quick ’, slideshow, airspace, S-O-N, UK
2011: Drawing Workshop, New Generation Space, S-O-T, UK
2011: 100 stories, Performance, S-O-T, UK

2010: Talk and drawing workshop, Staffordshire University, UK
2010: Conjunction ‘ESCAPE’ airspace Gallery, S-O-T, UK
2010: Documentary Film ‘Common Ground’ S-O-T, UK
2010: ‘Escape to the hidden garden’ land art drawing Workshop, S-O-T, UK
2010: Over the Bridge Night, Film projection, Stoke, UK

2009: Place Space & Identity 2, S-O-T, UK

TV Interview:
Kurdsat.tv, Heftenamey rwnakbiri 25-07-2011

Bibliography:
2011: ‘Invisible Man’ by: Paul Moore, Beyond Borders, July 2011
2011: ‘Let's finish the job and create an all-singing Cultural Quarter’ The Sentinel, by: Mike Wolfe, June 01, 2011
2011: Haftanna Magazine, www.cawder.org/chawder2/cawder/327/r1.pdf, June 2011
2011: Kurdistany Nwea, www.calameo.com/read/000163913bd2915b493fd, June 2011