4. Haji Ahmed (Portrait I)
Haji Ahmed, Iraqi Kurdistan
2017
Giclée print on Hahnemühle photo rag paper
30 x 21 cm
$180
4/5 edition (+ AP)
"Before the invasion (of Iraq by the US and allies) we had only one dictator. Now we have a million of them."
Portrait of a Kurdish man from the village of Haji Ahmed in Iraqi Kurdistan. US oil and gas corporation ExxonMobil has 'requisitioned' some of his village's land for the exploration and drilling of natural gas resources. Locals claim that the land takeover was facilitated by the Kurdish Provisional Government in Erbil as they also have provided security for the site. The economic exploitation of the political situation and conflict in Iraq (and subsequently Iraqi Kurdistan) in the immediant aftermath of the 2003 invasion of Iraq probably comes and no surprise to many viewers. However, the habit of multinational resource companies in the area to grease pockets of local authorities such as KPG officials hasn't abated and only benefits from the lack of international media attention.