WARCHESTRA is a multi-media series about war and culture, of visual and sonic components. By replacing weapons of war with musical instruments, the Warchestra experience aims to re-imagine, re-define, and re-invent the war in Iraq as it was represented in the media. Abdul Hadi’s position  as a cultural producer of Iraqi origin has informed the work’s desire to highlight culture amongst the backdrop of war. There is a soundscape accompanying almost each painting, made in collaboration with poets or musicians in musical or lyrical dialogue with the paintings, and underlaid with field recordings from Baghdad. Trumpets trump AK-47’s, clarinets covering RPG’s, blast walls emulating zithers, and grand pianos crashing from the sky as bombs, are just a few of the transformations these works have conceived.

CLICK images to go to YouTube and listen to the soundtrack.

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The Forgotten

Acrylic on canvas
30" by 48"
2008

The text in the painting reads the lyrics of a traditional Iraqi folk song:
“Those who have forgotten us, when will you remember us? When will we cross your mind? When will you help our situation? Love, you have left us with no explanation; You shut the doors in our face and abandoned us. Where did you come from on the day you set your eyes on us? Where did you find us? Your eyes have scarred us. You who have forgotten us, when will you remember us?”

Sound: Produced by Sundus Abdul Hadi and The Narcicyst
0:48sec (loop)

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Violins and Bases

Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
30" by 80" (diptych)
2009

Sound: Produced and mixed by Sundus Abdul Hadi and The Narcicyst
Violins composed and interpreted by Jacob Lessard / Angelo Ruscitti on Bass
6:04 mins

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The Oud Maker

Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
40"by 40"
2010

Sound: Produced by The Narcicyst
Oud played by Qurna
Music Played by Qurna (Omar Dewachi, Nicolas Royer-Artuso, and Pierre-Guy Blanchard).
4:35min

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Keys of Return

Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
30" by 48"
2009

Sound: Produced by Sundus Abdul Hadi
Piano composed and played by Stefan Christoff
5:09 mins

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All the Weapons

Acrylic and mixed media on canvas and masonite
12" by 52" (Triptych)
2010

“All the weapons they used against others, they now use against us.
All the weapons they used against us, we now use against them.
All the weapons we used against them, we now use against ourselves.
All the weapons that we use against ourselves, they will use against us.”

Sound: Written, produced, arranged by Sundus Abdul Hadi and Meryem Saci
Mixed and co-arranged by The Narcicyst
5:21min

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Baghdead

Acrylic and mixed media on masonite
25" by 52" (Diptych)
2007

Sound: Produced by Sundus Abdul Hadi
Trumpet composed and arranged by Jason “Blackbird” Selman
3:51 min

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Monumental Freedom

Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
24" by 36"
2009

Sound: Produced by Sundus Abdul Hadi and The Narcicyst
Trombone improv by Modibo Keita

Interview with Qassim Al-Azzawi, editor in Chief of Tashkeel Magazine, Salah Abbas, director of Tashkeel Magazine and Hala, coordinator of Tashkeel Magazine. Recorded on December 06, 2009 at the Iraqi Museum of Modern Art, Baghdad.
4:18min

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This is Not Haifa Street

Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
24" by 36"
2009

Sound: Produced by Sundus Abdul Hadi and The Narcicyst
Saxophone improv by Nathaniel Marro
3:00min

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Ministry of Justice (Conductor)

Acrylic and mixed media on masonite
25" by 52"
2010

Sound: Produced by The Narcicyst
Poem written and recited by Ahmed Habib
5:47

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Untitled (Regarding the Pain of Others)

Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
30" by 40"
2009

Sound: Poem written & recited by Suheir Hammad titled “__“ from her upcoming book “__“
Mixing and production by Sundus Abdul Hadi and the Narcicyst
3:23min

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Qanun (Law)

Acrylic and mixed media on canvas
30" by 96" (diptych)
2008

Sound: Produced by Sundus Abdul Hadi and The Narcicyst
5:10min