Kurdistan Society Members Attend Private Viewing of My Line Is My Memory

The exhibition confronts the devastating events of 1988, when Saddam Hussein’s regime carried out the Anfal campaign against the Kurdish people. Through his drawings, Osman Ahmad preserves the experiences of those who endured persecution, displacement and profound personal loss.

During the private viewing, H.E. Karwan Jamal Tahir, the Kurdistan Regional Government’s High Representative to the United Kingdom, spoke about the history and horrors of the Anfal campaign. His remarks provided important context for the works on display and highlighted the continuing need to remember the victims and preserve the testimony of survivors.

Osman Ahmad then spoke about the origins of his project. He explained how he began listening to and documenting survivors’ testimonies through his art, gradually creating a collection of more than 350 drawings. Each work gives visual form to an individual memory, ensuring that experiences which might otherwise be lost are recorded and shared with future generations.

The title My Line Is My Memory reflects the deeply personal nature of the artist’s approach. His lines become a means of remembrance, bearing witness to experiences that are both individual and part of the Kurdish people’s collective history.

Those who attended the private viewing were deeply moved by the power and humanity of Osman Ahmad’s work. The exhibition demonstrated the unique ability of art to communicate experiences that can be difficult to express in words and to create a lasting record of lives affected by atrocity.

The Kurdistan Society was honoured to bring its members together for this important exhibition and extends its sincere thanks to Osman Ahmad for sharing his work and the stories entrusted to him.