Today in my office, I was looking at the heart shaped ceramic pendant with an engraved „R“ hanging from my table lamp. It was 7:30 in the morning and I was still alone. I went to open the window and the ice cold December breeze came in. Looking down at Vienna from the 10th floor, I went back in my mind to Baghdad in the middle of the 80s.
Itihad was the name of the shop I bought that lovely heart from. A unique shop and atelier in a side street of Al-Mansoor main road. The front was shaped like a red eye of an alien or a webcam. A modern design ahead of its time. The owner was the sculptor and artist Itihad Kareem. The shop was our number one destination for buying gifts. He had all kinds of traditional ceramic in modern designs beside his art collection of sculptures. I loved the pendants with letters or star signs on them. I’m sure I gave all my friends one of those pendants as a birthday present.
The sculptures were wonderful but for me, a school girl at that time, unaffordable. I didn’t even think of going near them. I just looked from a distance, far enough to make sure I can’t break anything.
The most expensive piece I bought with my sister was a Christmas gift for my mother. A table lamp stand for a batik shade she got from her friend.
I sat back at my computer; I was still alone and had 5 minutes to Google Itihad Kareem. I wanted to find a picture of him or his shop, but unfortunately the only thing I found in the net, was an article reporting his death.
I hardly remember his face. I only remember the atmosphere of warmth and peace in his atelier and his low but clear voice.
He didn’t live to be very old and I don’t think he really got the fame he deserved as an artist and sculpture.
He lived in the future. Unfortunately, Iraq has still not caught up with the time he lived in. Instead, the country today is farther away from that future than it was in the early 80s.
