HALABJA, Kurdistan Region — An arts teacher from the city of Halabja has cut off her hair, and is using it to paint a typical female Peshmerga fighter in an attempt to honor and pay homage to Kurdish women who sacrifice life’s luxuries and defend their homeland.
Hataw Karim painted a female Peshmerga warrior on canvas by using her hair in an attempt to project herself onto the mural and to show gratitude to the brave Kurdish women fighters on the frontlines of the war against ISIS.
“I wanted this work to look different. I thought about cutting my own hair and using it in a painting, as I believe the word ‘Peshmerga’ is great and sacred,” Ms. Karim told Rudaw. “When this thought came to my mind, I cut my hair and used it in the painting of a female Peshmerga fighter without any mental reservation.”
Drawing inspiration from female Peshmerga troops and inspired by their sense of responsibility to protect the Kurdistan Region from the threat of terrorism, she has embarked on an art mission showing Kurdish female Peshmerga fighters on duty. In doing so, she decided to cut her own hair in order to give a sense of reality and life to the painting.
Her brother, Sarkawt Karim, spoke about his sister’s method of painting.
Hataw Karim painted a female Peshmerga warrior on canvas by using her hair in an attempt to project herself onto the mural and to show gratitude to the brave Kurdish women fighters on the frontlines of the war against ISIS.
“I wanted this work to look different. I thought about cutting my own hair and using it in a painting, as I believe the word ‘Peshmerga’ is great and sacred,” Ms. Karim told Rudaw. “When this thought came to my mind, I cut my hair and used it in the painting of a female Peshmerga fighter without any mental reservation.”
Drawing inspiration from female Peshmerga troops and inspired by their sense of responsibility to protect the Kurdistan Region from the threat of terrorism, she has embarked on an art mission showing Kurdish female Peshmerga fighters on duty. In doing so, she decided to cut her own hair in order to give a sense of reality and life to the painting.
Her brother, Sarkawt Karim, spoke about his sister’s method of painting.
“I was very happy to see that painting bearing her hair,” Sarkawt said. “It was a surprise to me! My sister is innovative. We have high expectations for her.”
Halabja Fine Arts Institute teacher Hunar Saeeb described technical aspects of the artwork.
“She has made herself part of the painting, changing her character from being a teacher to a Peshmerga fighter. This is something different,” Saeeb said.
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