The 'Eternal Love' series is a new body of photographic work from 2010, by Iraqi artist Halim Al Karim. The 'Eternal Love' series follows Al Karim's signature photographic technique, creating works that are usually large-scale (220 x 130 cm), intentionally obscured, images of human figures. Al Karim is known throughout the Middle East for his thematic concerns, such as politics, love and oppression; and to interpret his work more clearly one also needs to understand his life. Al Karim lived through much persecution and turmoil, living alone in the Iraqi desert for three years to avoid military service under Saddam Hussein's regime.

In this exhibition Halim Al Karim will be exhibiting sculptural and photographic works together under the same concept. While Al Karim has certainly dealt with love as a theme before, this particular body of work focuses on love that engulfs, that transforms two beings into one, and the effect on people that find it in their lives and those who do not.

Al Karim has chosen to create life size photographic works, depicting images of unrecognizable people (Eternal Love images attached) and portraying their relationship with love. The sculptural works will mirror in size and imagery the photographic works, and will stand throughout the gallery space, inviting the viewers to involve themselves in the exhibition and during the experience to consider their own perception of eternal love. The sculptures will be figurative, the concept for their creation being the antithesis of the photographic works.

Image: © Halim Al Karim, XVA Gallery