Japanese life in photographs in Erbil

By Majida Muhsin
Monday, 06 February 2012

Erbil, Iraq - Political figures came together today at a photo exhibition which depicts Japan as seen through the eyes of Iraqi artist Fuad Shaker.

 

Kurdistan's Minister of Culture and spokesman for the Kurdistan Regional Government Kawa Mahmoud joined first secretary of the Japanese Embassy in Baghdad Junichi Sumi at Media Hall, Erbil to promote cultural ties between Japan and the semi-autonomous region.

 

The exhibition, entitled "Japan - The Land of Gold as I Saw It", displays 90 photos and was organized in cooperation with the Iraqi Cultural Support Association and the Japan Foundation with the support of the embassy.

The organizers invited Shaker to visit Japan and portray life in the country.

"The exhibition marks the opening of culture in Kurdistan to all cultures and it also proves that the cultures complement each other," said Mahmoud at the opening ceremony of the exhibition.

Sumi expressed his appreciation that Iraq wants to display Japanese life through photographs.

Meanwhile chairman of the Iraqi Cultural Support Association Mufid al-Jazairi said: "The exhibition... shows the common quest to inform the Iraqis about Japan and its culture and inform the Japanese public about Iraq and its culture in order to establish bonds of understanding and friendship between people of both countries."

 

Commenting on the differences between life in Iraq and Japan, Shaker said that the latter is an industrial developed country, while the former is a state of thought but it is living in a miserable situation.

"When I visited the suburbs of Tokyo I felt like seeing the towers of colored crystal that pull sensations. Life in Japan is amazing, beautiful and encourages optimism.

"I used to take photos for poverty and misery in Baghdad, but in Japan I found something else and another life that can be shot."

The exhibition comes at a time when effort is being made to promote relations between Iraq and Japan.

 

© Aknews