Rushdi Anwar on Exile, Colonialism, and the Role of Art in Addressing Displacement

Rushdi Anwar is among seven nominees for Artes Mundi 10, a £40,000 prize presented with the Bagri Foundation. The exhibition runs across five venues in Wales through February 25, featuring solo projects on land use, territory, and displacement. Anwar's work examines sociopolitical instability in West Asia, from the Ottoman Empire's collapse and European colonialism to ISIS's aftermath, using installation, photography, sculpture, sound, archival material, textiles, and poetry. He cites influences from William Kentridge, Doris Salcedo, and Kurdish artist Ismail Kayat, as well as philosophers Mulla Sadra and Aristotle via mentor Dr. Mohammed Kamal. Anwar sees art as a tool for social resistance and ethical responsibility, addressing displacement, trauma, and bigotry. If he wins, he plans to fund research on sex slavery in the Middle East and support struggling students. The winner will be announced in January.