Titled A Hope and Peace to End all Hope and Peace, this solo exhibition curated by Zoe Butt and running until March 10, 2024, delves into the depth of Rushdi Anwar's artistry, rooted in his personal encounters with war and political injustices as a Kurd born in Iraq in 1971. The title of the exhibition also navigates the absurdity of war and the cyclical nature of violence. “Having seen and experienced more than five wars”, Anwar poignantly reflects on his time in Iraq when “war became a pattern of our life…if we had a few months of peace, people were worried, […] anticipating that something bad would happen,” illustrating the unsettling normalisation of war within the daily lives of the Kurds.

In the first gallery, The Kingdom of Dust Ruled by Stones (2023) commemorates a vandalised monument in Bashiqa city; the tribute to revered Yazidi military figure Ezidi Mirza (1600-1651), who bravely opposed the authoritarian rule of the Ottoman Empire in Kurdistan. Crafted from brass and steel, Anwar’s replica of the equestrian sculpture embodies the resilience and determination of the Yazidis, a Kurdish-speaking group native to Kurdistan. The sculpture is a symbol of the continual devastation of Mesopotamia, historically esteemed as a centre of advancement and depicted as a paradise on earth during ancient times, as well as a testament to the Yazidis' fortitude in the wake of the atrocities inflicted by ISIS.

Besides that work, They Filled our World Full of Shadow, and Then They Tell Us to Seek the Light (2023) represents the Sykes-Picot map, the foundational document behind the partition of Kurdistan. The thick map's surface, upheld by numerous metal bullets, carries a dual symbolism: while aiming to restore a sense of unity on a territory divided among Iraq, Syria, Turkey and Iran, it also alludes to the millions of buried mines as well as the subsoil oil exploitation that contributes to the self-destructive tendencies within the region.

Both works gained notable attention at the Sharjah Biennial 15 earlier in 2023, and a version of The Kingdom of Dust Ruled by Stones is now part of the collection of the Sharjah Art Foundation.

In the second gallery, A Man Stronger Than Mine (2023) comprises a video installation featuring a documentary and photographs portraying the life of Hoshyar Byawelaiy, a landmine deminer from Halabja. This city, situated near the Iraq-Iran border, gained tragic notoriety due to the chemical attack by Saddam Hussein in 1988. The installation portrays the extraordinary commitment of this contemporary Kurdish hero: despite losing both of his legs in separate explosions and enduring the loss of several relatives and friends to landmine incidents, he tirelessly defused and removed approximately 2,500,000 landmines from the area over the past 40 years. Beyond the inspiring tale of this individual, his scarred body reflects the scars of Kurdistan's mutilated territory.

In the same room, the installation When You Pray for Black Gold, You Must Deal With the Burning Smoke Too (2023) delves into 20^th century history. It features an embroidered map of West Asia on a woven prayer rug, accompanied by two framed digital prints resembling negative portraits of British and French diplomats, Mark Sykes and François Georges-Picot. They are depicted against colourful backgrounds, harkening back to the 1916 Sykes-Picot Agreement between the United Kingdom and France aiming to partition Kurdistan following the anticipated fall of the Ottoman Empire. The lasting legacy of the Sykes-Picot line symbolises the enduring partition of Kurdistan. Another version of this work is also part of the Artes Mundi 10 Biennial Prize (until February 25, 2024) in Cardiff, further showcasing the artist's breakthrough in 2023.

In both galleries, maps are revealed as tools of power and territorial dominance, while archival materials and historical events denote the arbitrary division of time and epochs. This juxtaposition suggests that although the legacy of World War I may seem distant and forgotten by the international community, it remains a pivotal point in understanding the enduring struggles faced by the Kurds for over a century. Interestingly, Anwar's representation of the solidification of the geopolitical landscape finds philosophical resonance in his admiration for the Persian-Iranian philosopher Mulla Sadra (c.1571–1640). He advocated against the fixity of existence, opposing the stability of things, which contrasts both Aristotle's philosophy and the mainstream interpretation of Islam. Anwar’s fascination with historical archives and war relics mirrors Mulla Sadra’s approach, alongside the intentionally poetic and phenomenologically rich titles of his works.

The final section of the exhibition extends beyond the Art Center into the Jim Thompson House, a renowned heritage site in Bangkok assembled by Jim Thompson (1906-1967), a former US army officer, alleged CIA secret agent, silk merchant, and prominent collector of antiques in Bangkok. In the dining room, Black Tears in White Nights (2023) recreated a table setting crafted from aluminium sourced from the remnants of the secret bombing in Laos, conducted by the United States during the Vietnam War (1955-1975). This installation reflects the commonalities of warfare worldwide, allowing Anwar to draw parallels between his experiences in West Asia and his current residence in Southeast Asia; he currently resides and works in Chiang Mai, located in the north of Thailand, and recently completed a residency in Laos.

These cross-border connections convey a timely statement amid the heightened conflicts of 2023. Anwar challenges the traditional conventions of history painting and sculpture inherited from colonial eras, offering depictions and monuments that demystify contemporary conflicts—a war-shaming approach that seeks to dispel myths surrounding armed conflicts.