By H. G. Hassan

In 1994, a Kurdish artist who is an emigrant in Netherlands builds a statue in the anniversary of Halabja's bombardment with chemical weapons every year. This artist built the statue of (Umari Khawar) in Netherlands and this year, he built a statue for honoring Peshmerge in one of the parks in Badawa neighborhood in Hawler.

In 1994, a Kurdish artist who is an emigrant in Netherlands builds a statue in the anniversary of Halabja?s bombardment with chemical weapons every year. This artist built the statue of (Umari Khawar) in Netherlands and this year, he built a statue for honoring Peshmerge in one of the parks in Badawa neighborhood in Hawler.



The popular Kurdish artist (Pishko Gurji), who?s from Suleimani and has been living in Netherlands for over 21 years, builds a statue for the victims of chemical bombardment of Halabja every year. ?In the March of every year, I should do a work, if I don?t do an art work, my life will be unbalanced? he says.


Regarding building the statue of Umari Khawar in Netherland and erecting it in the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (O.P.C.W) office in Lahay, Pishko Gurji says:

?This was a project for Halabja, along with the KRG ministry of Martyr?s Affairs, the government of Netherlands chose me for this work; the work was done within nine months?. Now, his work is seen as a center of honoring the victims of Halabja among the Kurdish Diaspora and friends of Kurds.


As he tells the story of building a statue on a door of one of his rooms, then showing it in front of the international court in Lahay, and says ?I?m not a businessman, the works I have done are funded out of my pocket money and on the expense of my children?s food, when I went to see my bank account, there wasn?t enough money for the statue.


So I thought to take out my room?s door to build a statue for Halabja on. Then on a request by Social Democrat Party, the statue was showcased, as a witness of the catastrophe of Halabja, in front of the international court in Lahay, on the day of Frans Van Anrad?s trail.

? This is history, Halabja is undoubtedly a heartbreaking catastrophe, but Kurds can make a happy life by honoring the victims. ?The statue urged to build another one for Umari Khawar too? he says.


He talks a lot about the drawing of (Sin of the Environment). When talking about these works of him, one can feel that Pishko Gurji has dug deeply into the sufferings of Kurdish society.

He has a great experience, especially while talking about his drawings.


Regarding the Sin of the Environment, he says ?A lady MP from Social Democrat Party in Netherlands called ?Kristina Van Velzen? pulled down the curtain over the statue in Centeridam in Amsterdam. On the same day, the drawing is asked to be laid in one of the museums of Netherlands, but the artist told them if you want to see the drawing, then go to Halabja and spend a dollar there.

? And in fact, the artist, brought back the drawing to Halabja and is now in the monument of the city, about which the audience can has special taste and attention.

?The importance of the drawing is that it is made from the soil of Halabja.

? The story of bringing soil of Halabja is another special story: ?When I wanted to visit Halabja for brining some soil for making the drawing, the Islamists controlled Halabja that time, I had to grow beard and go to the city to bring some soil.?


?Sherko Gurji is now in Hawler, and on March 11, 2015, at the anniversary of liberating Hawler, he put on another statue in one of the parks in Badawa Neighborhood in Hawler.

Regarding choosing this statue, Pishko says ?In coordination with Hawler Governorate, and at the anniversary of liberating Hawler on March 11, 1991 and the March 11th Agreement, we made the statue for honoring the struggle and sacrifices of Peshmerge against ISIS.

? ?For me, Peshmerge is the national anthem and sovereignty, I?ve joined up the whole world in the statue, it?s too hard to describe Peshmerge, Peshmerge is so sweet that I neither can taste nor describe it.


? About choosing the park for the statue he says ?Because the park is in a poor populated neighborhood and they live greatly, that?s why I chose there.?


The component of the drawing of Peshmerge is the same reality of Kurdistan. The artist, who chose two Male and two Female Peshmerge, says ?today, the Kurdish women sent the message that women is no longer the half of society only, but everything and could fight along with men. The Kurdish women proved that women are not out of history.?


In the opening ceremony of the statue, numbers of foreign consulates in Kurdistan Region attended, Gurji says ?I?ve put flags of 9 countries that helped Peshmerge with the drawing, and the 9 countries were officially taken from the Ministry of Peshmerge. And I left some spaces for those countries that want to help Peshmerge in future.?


The importance of the statue is that, Peshmerge is recording the history, pens write history and books protect it, and we only have heard the national anthem ?Ay Raqib?. But now the artist has made it musical notes, and a reality that could be seen in the statue.

Those who appear beside Peshmerge will be recorded by them, the notes of ?Ay Raqib? is also on the drawing, to say that Kurds will remain existing, which is related to the existing Peshmerge.


Bibliography of the artist:

Pishko Abbas Gurji ? 1966 Suleimani

Graduated at Institute of Fine Arts in Suleimani, department of Sculpture

In 1986, he went abroad and in April 1988, after opening the exhibition of Halabja, he was arrested by Iraqi consulate and brought him back to the security of Baghdad.

After end of Iraq-Iran war in 1988, the general amnesty included him, and then he headed abroad again, this time, his father was jailed on behalf of him.


In 1991, he once again went to Europe and settled in Netherlands.
He has many sculptures, statues and drawings in Netherlands.

The Kurdish Globe