Japanese flowers in Kirkuk

 

Himat Mohammed Ali

 

After his recovery from an acute illness, my Japanese friend Gotaro Tsunezumi wrote to me, “After my return to life, flowers appear more beautiful and more splendid. These flowers, which I have loved all my life, have now become symbolic of my current life.” Enclosed in his letter were four poems - the most beautiful poems about flowers I have read - and a large collection of photographs of Japanese landscapes with detailed explanations of flowers, as if he wanted to transfer to me his thoughts and feelings about them.

 

 

 

His letter and the poems informed me about real flowers I had seen before; they took me back to my childhood memories, when I heard my father swear by and bet on flowers. This is why flowers had a special sacredness to me. During my childhood, we used to wait for spring and for Nawruz celebrations accompanied with Narcissus flowers, growing everywhere.

 

 

 

I have learned how to paint flowers and the earth where they are planted. I have also further understood Masaoka Shiki’s Notes on Peonies:

 

“The present that was brought to me

 

A pot of peonies

 

When I became sick”

 

Or when he went even farther to say

 

“I think I'll die

 

eating apples,

 

in the presence of peonies”

 

 

Since that day, and every spring, flowers do not leave my studio. I remember my father and my poet friend and all my friends who love flowers (and life). I photograph flowers for memory or for my art because I know one day I will use photography in my work.

 

 

 

Every spring, flowers accompany me as a friend. They live and they die in front of me, silently. There is no need for speech. Just light and color.

 

 

Artist from Irak / France

work from Himat Mohammed Ali