I live in the diaspora like many Iraqis. Each city that I made into an abode draws a map in my memory. The maps collectively construct my “homeland.” My ‘Round City’ series is inspired by the 8th century layout of Baghdad. The city was built in a circle with buildings and gardens revolving around the centre, occupied by the palace. … The first piece, entitled ‘Land of Black,’ carries a name given to my home country of Iraq because it was so lush with greenery that it would appear black from a distance. I know that years of war have turned much of the country into ash and ruins, but by working on this painting I felt as though I was excavating the city. … Be it Baghdad, Beirut, or any other city rising from turmoil, I dream of reconstructing their built environment and hope that through my art work I contribute to the healing process of their inhabitants. – Mayassah Alsader Mayassah Alsader is an Iraqi British Architect, Landscape Architect and painter. She holds an MA in History of Landscape Architecture from University of Texas at Austin and a BA in Architecture. Mayassah is interested in cities and their sociopolitical environments and dedicates her […]

Saba Jallas is a Yemeni artist most known for her work transforming images of smoke from airstrikes and bombings into images of hope. Other drawings show people in traditional clothes in peaceful settings, and destroyed schools that have been repaired. Characterised by featuring positive images of women and children, she seeks to display her ‘absolute optimism’ despite living through war and suffering the loss of her brother, and to save herself from ‘negative feelings and overwhelming thoughts.’ Jallas was inspired by Palestinian artists – Tawfik Gebreel, Bushra Shanan, Belal Khaled who turned pictures of bombings in Gaza into messages of resistance. She says: ‘For the world, I want to tell them that Yemen doesn’t need weapons. We need peace. Look at the human catastrophes. When we lifted our weapons and threw out beauty and art, this was the result.’ We will be exhibiting and selling a stunning piece, pictured below, by Saba Jallas at Art the Arms Fair 2019. We share a message from her below – in the original Arabic and translated into English. أنا سبأ جلاس يمنية عمري ٣٤ عام أرسم للحب والسلام والأمل رسمت على دخان الحرب في بلدي رسائل سلام وحب ولاقت أعمالي استحسان الكثير في أنحاء العالم ومنذ عامين تقريباً […]

We are thrilled to announce that artist Peter Kennard will be taking over an entire gallery at the 2019 Art the Arms Fair exhibition. His work will be exhibited at the AMP Gallery at 1 Acorn Parade in Peckham (12 – 8pm weekdays & 10am – 8pm at the weekend, 3 – 13 September). Kennard told Art the Arms Fair: “I have been making anti-war art in London, where I was born, for 50 years. I am horrified that every 2 years the Excel Centre is stuffed to the rafters with weapons of death and destruction at the London Arms Fair. The delegates (arms dealers) come from repressive regimes from around the world, including Saudi Arabia which is killing civilians in Yemen courtesy of Britain’s biggest arms company, BAE systems. I’m pleased to show my work as part of the response against this obscene arms fair. Arms companies expand globally, but then so too does the resistance. “My exhibition at Amp consists of painting in oil and pigment ink on canvas. Each canvas is three metres high by 1 metre wide. They are shown leaning against the walls like lines of falling tombstones. Each one depicts a medal in which […]

Hi Darren! It’s great to hear you will be involved in Art the Arms Fair this year. Could you tell us a bit about you and your work?  I make funny things about terrible things.  Why did you get involved in Art the Arms Fair?  Quite simply because the arms trade is the most staggeringly obscene industry on the planet, and arms dealers shouldn’t be able to get away with holding these slick, lobster-and-champagne fuelled expos about their latest murder gadgets without anyone trying to stop them. I think what the activists involved in Stop the Arms Fair are doing is incredibly important and inspiring and I want to be able to help, and stand alongside them in any way I can. Tell us about the art you’ll be sharing through our exhibition this year.  I haven’t fully confirmed what I’m showing this year but I hope to show some work from my Empire Air installation in Munich last year, a sort of neo-colonial travel agency “in collaboration with” Boeing and Airbus. Two companies that take us abroad to new holiday destinations while also manufacturing the weapons to wipe those destinations off the face of the Earth. Could you share […]

Hi Ahmed! It’s great to hear you will be involved in Art the Arms Fair this year. Could you tell us a bit about yourself? Ahmed Jahaf, 29 years old, married and I have two children. I am a Graphic Designer, media specialist and political artist, and my artwork is inspired by and focused on the Saudi-led coalition war on Yemen since 26 March 2015 until today. I live under bombardment & blockade in Sana’a, the capital of Yemen. What made you get involved in Art the Arms Fair? The main objective that made me get involved in Art the Arms Fair is to deliver a message about the war on Yemen and the British role in the war, especially the British arms deals between Saudi Arabia and the UAE which are used to kill the Yemeni people. Also, the great turnout at the exhibition in 2017 – this is a great opportunity for me to participate in. Tell us a bit about the art you’ll be sharing through our exhibition this year. There is a simple design where I used only a few elements such as the famous Big Ben clock, symbolising Britain, and integrating it with the rocket […]