One Year Since October 7th | Bring Them Home Now!

 

Act Against Anti-Semitism | Help Israel Defend Itself

Dear All,

Our Jewish Brothers and Sisters' ordeal in the second year of captivity is beyond imagination. Therefore, I urge you to have the courage to take up the fight against Hatred and Antisemitism.

Hatred is a self-destructive tool, and anti-Semitism is a shame.

"Evil triumphs when good men do nothing" Thus, having peace through strength is the answer, because, when the righteous ones are strong they can overcome evil.

I Praise the LORD that Israel is safe and prosperous. I will always stand with Israel and its IDF brave men and women who are fighting on behalf of all the oppressed indigenous people in the Middle East. In reality, this tiny but powerful state is fighting evil on behalf of all humanity.

The LORD said: I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse, and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:2-5

It seems that "Never Again" didn’t work, so if you believe in love and peace, never let your guard down again. Am Yisrael Chai. ~ Amer

Nova – You Can’t Kill Light

Light vs. Darkness 

Nova – You Can’t Kill Light 

Light and darkness can have many meanings in different contexts, including symbolic archetypes (hope vs. despair), scripture (truth and righteousness vs. falsehood and evil), and religion (salvation vs. slavery & loss). The best Biblical example is from John 1:5: "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it".

What happened on October 7, 2023, at the Nova Music Festival in Israel’s Negev Desert, was pitch dark and pure evil that no decent human could accept or justify. As an artist, you can figuratively depict the horror of that indelible scene of the vicious massacre; but, art is not about imitation or making a documentary statement that opens deep wounds every time. Rather, we learn how to overcome the committed violence, dark, and evil through the path of light. Remember that a single candle, no matter how tiny, can defy the darkness.

Nova – You Can’t Kill Light is an attempt to continue my 2006 series Wounding the Dark based on my poem published in 2009 in World Literature Magazine, (P61),

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Using mixed media and multiple textures, supported with miniature visual effects to spread vitality in the overall dark, with austere colors mainly black and white, a small touch of yellow, and a red stroke has a huge impact in setting the floor (canvas) to present the theme.

The pictograph symbols for death, dark, and evil, "black moon" and "death", the three mountains against the central tiny sun and its light encountering the darkness, efficaciously seal the deal that no evil can escape the light. 

Nova – You Can’t Kill Light, is simply an invitation to overcome evil, destruction, and death by continuing to live, build, and prosper. It also defines the fact that despite all challenges, the people of Israel live "Am Yisrael Chai".

 

Subject: Nova – You Can’t Kill Ligh

Technique: Acrylic & Mixed Media on Canvas

Measurements: 36 x 36 Inches

Date: August 2024

Price: $30,000

 

The Woman of My Dreams

The Woman of My Dreams

 

A dream is what you are

In the summer

and the utmost of snow

You are but a dream

Whether you come or go.

~ Amer

The Epic of Gilgamesh is the oldest ever known literature from Mesopotamia. Dreams played a vital role in paving the legendary friends’ path toward glory. In ancient Mesopotamia Ninsoon and Mumud were famous goddesses specialized in interpreting dreams. Dreams also were crucial when King Nebuchadnezzar sought Danial’s help to interpret his dream. Everybody dreams, however, only artists and poets can reshape their dreams into artworks and poems. 

While the entire world is concerned about wars, unleashed highly mutagenic viruses, AI's future conflict with the human race, and other inhumane conflicts, besides climate change, as well as sea and air pollution, which Mother Earth can solve with or without human existence, however, I have a different vision and concern.

 

In my short voyage from birth to death which is nothing but a blink of an eye compared to the universe time I focus on love and who would light and share my path toward the light. There are many kinds of love, but Agape is spiritually the highest form of love, which is described in the New Testament, as the fatherly love of God.

            For me, as an artist and short-term passenger, my other half and life companion is a good loving woman. This woman is the foundation of my dreams which energize my body and mind with infinite visions and peaceful desires. For that woman from above, I offer this artwork, yesterday, today, and every day to my last breath.

The composition and technique are part of my interpretation of the Logogramism style and symbols of the Akkadian words šilu/šittu/ šunāti (dream-vision) to colors and visual elements in teal, red-orange, yellow, and purple. While the storyline of this artwork is simple. In life, we meet honest and foxy people who give us joy and pain as part of the love recipe. It is as if you can not appreciate the light if do not experience the dark. 

This work presents my true world, so enjoy the presence of the woman of my dreams who will always be the motivation of my heartbeats. Her name, kindness, and beauty will continue to come and go throughout the years as long as I breathe in and out. My dreams are my legacy and there is no legacy without a dream.

 

Subject: The Woman of My Dreams

Technique: Acrylic & Mixed Media on Canvas

Measurements: 36 x 36 Inches

Date: 2024

Price: $30,000

Enemy at the Gate

Hate Poisons the Soul

October 7^th 

Between my art studio and the so many war frontiers I have been at, I have experienced life and death firsthand. The outcome had me believe that hate poisons the soul, thus: “To better understand the dark side of the war is to live and let live.” This belief gives me the ultimate motivation to portray what is considered the endless conflict between good and evil and between light and dark.

The latest massacre that was committed by the creatures of the dark which took place in south Israel on October 7^th filled me with pain, anger, and grief. As an artist, I transferred all those genuine feelings on the canvas, to remind the entire world why saving lives is about humanity, not political-religious propaganda. 

Love and peace are quite understandable but nothing can justify victimizing innocent lives. In life or on canvas the good ones always search for love and peace while steering the inner peace path toward righteousness. ~ Isaiah 32:17

Like the rest of my Logographic artworks, the shape and the visual elements are the foundations of the work that echo my inner universe. However, what makes this work live and very captivating is the unique composition, that softly moves between the space, the mono-color, the pictograph symbols that represent (gate, enemy, fanaticism), and the use of the texture, i.e., the shape that represents (enemy) in different sizes and vivid black on black.

The dynamic between the intaglio impression (engraving) and relievo (relief) impression is what gives the multiple tones of sorrow a powerful presence. However, to make the entire work more vibrant yet quite stable, the symbol of the (enemy) was repeated in different sizes all over the surface while splitting the symbol of the (gate) in two and placing them on the two sides of the surface. Furthermore, two shapes depicting serpents, one with a smashed head and the second one accompanied by a star. The second two-part elements symbolize a crescent and a star. 

The work tightly and genuinely touches the hearts and minds of the viewers and releases an aura of serenity despite the horrible calamity, and that is because those who were inhumanely violated never gave up on the hope that is guaranteed in Psalm 23:1–6

 

Subject: Enemy at the Gate - Oct 7

Technique: Acrylic & Mixed Media on Hardboard-canvas

Measurements: Inside 28.5 x 37.5 Inches | Outside 36 x 45 Inches

Date: 2024

Price: $30,000

 

The Purest Love on Earth

 

Mother Ummi

 

My Mother Would Walk Through the Lava and Shattered Glass Carrying Me Smiling! … Mother’s Love is Unlimited and Unconditional. ~ Amer H. Fatuhi

In the Enûma Elish (The Babylonian Genesis/epic of creation), the mother goddess Tiamat bears the first generation of deities. She was the first ever known Mother. However, Ninhursag (Mama) is the goddess referred to as the creator of humankind. 

Women were worshiped in ancient times for being associated with childbirth and fertility. The pictograph symbol of the word mother was among the very first symbols used in Mesopotamia over seven millennia ago. Personally, I see the mother as the symbol of fertility, the homeland, and every good in life.

Since I was in middle school, I have painted many artworks of my mother connecting her to the homeland, the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, the date palm tree, the dove flying in an open sky like a free spirit, the morning pigeon standing at the roof fence singing by my bed (Ku ku o ukhti) in the early morning, and every good thing in life. Throughout the years I used different styles, materials, and techniques. However, in my latest artwork Dec. 7^th, My Mother / Ummi (in Akkadian) and (אמא שלי) imma shali in Hebrew, I focused on how to depict the ancient symbol in my modern art not as an inscription or a material of intent but as an expression and a window to the beauty of the soul.

The shape and the visual elements are just there as the foundations of the work which are derived from my Logogramisim style; but, what makes this work live and very captivating is the unique composition, the playing with the space, colors, the limited use of the austere texture, i.e., the top shape in different vivid red colors similar to the house roofing and the eightfold star. Moving between playing with green color gives the viewer the dynamic impression of the conflict between stability and instability, playing with two kinds of clear and rainy tile surfaces. The bottom brush strokes and the single heavy white stroke give the base of the work a lively expression. To make the entire work more vibrant yet quite stable, I added the bottom two small triangular shapes in light violet and yellow to match the two top triangular forms with similar colors. Anyone, whether an artist or a common viewer, will be easily attracted to the positivity and genuineness that touches the heart and ignites an invisible aura of beauty around it, and that is what a mother is all about.

 

Subject: Mother Ummi 

Technique: Acrylic & Mixed Media on Canvas 

Measurements: 36 x 36 Inches 

Date: 2023 

Price: $30,000

I Stand with Israel

 

I Stand with Israel … I stand with Jews Worldwide 

עם ישראל חי

Shalom w Ahava

There’s been a shocking increase in antisemitism in the United States and around the world in the aftermath of October 7^th. Any normal person who respects humanity must call out antisemitism, extremism, and hate. On October 7^th, 2023, Hamas terrorists attacked Israel, killing at least 1,200 people, raping, burning, and beheading innocent Israelis, as well as kidnapping over 240 babies, children, young females, and other civilians, including Holocaust survivors into Gaza. 

As a visual artist and poet, I strongly condemn antisemitism and any kind of hate speech or act against natives and minorities. Therefore, I 100% stand with Israel and the Jewish people worldwide. I also demand the release of the innocent kidnapped civilians and to bring them home now!

A’m Yisrael Chai

 

Amer Hanna Fatuhi, Ph.D.

Visual Artist & Poet

www.JewsofBabylon-Book.com

The JEWS of BABYLON | Press Release!

 ** For Immediate Release **

A New Book Explores the Deep and Rich History of the Indigenous Jewish People of Babylon, Past & Present

Amer Hanna Fatuhi releases his 21^st book ‘The Jews of Babylon: The Untold Story of the Indigenous Jewish People of Babylon, Past & Present

Troy, MI| LA, CA| NYC – Amer Hanna Fatuhi, Ph.D., is a scholar in Mesopotamian History and an established visual artist, www. atelier-ahf.blogspot.com | www.ea-artg.com/artists/amer-hanna-fatuhi

“The Jews of Babylon, Past & Present Present” (published by www.workbookpress.com) is a groundbreaking, illustrated book that uniquely recounts the history and the remarkable achievements of the Jewish people of Babylon. It is also the culmination of the author’s broad cultural and intellectual experience as a historian, which transparently depicts the story of the indigenous Jewish people of ancient Mesopotamia / the Land of Eden, past and present.

“The Jews of Babylon, Past & Present” brings honor and glory to the unexplored course of events and remarkable achievements of the Jews of Babylon throughout their Mesopotamian deeply rooted history 5300 B.C. - present in a panoramic study. The author stated, “Babylon is not a foreign land for the Jews because it was originally their ancestors' birthplace and Father Abraham's native land for thousands of years before he was called to move from Ur of the Chaldeans to the Promised Land.

"The Lord had said to Abram, "Go from your country, your people, and your father's household to the land I will show you. ~ Gen. 12:1”

By revealing some of the important unknown insights about the Babylonian Jews’ history in Mesopotamia, the Holy Land of Israel, and worldwide, the author brings out the best in them. The unique features in the book, i.e., exceptional manuscript, long list of authentic images built from scratch, and genuine maps and illustrations in color made exclusively for this study, will captivate the attention and imagination of readers everywhere.  To learn more or to obtain a copy, visit www.JewsofBabylon-Book.com. 

“The Jews of Babylon, Past & Present”

By Amer Hanna Fatuhi

Hardcover | 7.5 x 10.5 in | 64 Full-color illustrated pages | ISBN 978-1-961845-49-7

Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords, Chapters Indigo, Betterworldbooks, Walmart, and more!

https://www.amazon.com/Jews-Babylon-Amer-Hanna-Fatuhi/dp/1961845490/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3F4DBBVRT2VN7&keywords=The+Jews+of+Babylon&qid=1700588999&s=books&sprefix=%2Cstripbooks-intl-ship%2C735&sr=1-1

About the Author

Amer Hanna Fatuhi, Ph.D. is a scholar of Mesopotamian History and Native Mesopotamians. He is also a poet, and an established visual artist, creator of the “Logogramism” art style, 1988-1992. He studied engineering, fine arts, and history. He also illustrated Museum educational-cultural posters worldwide and was one of the ten exceptional worldwide artists ~ World Literature Today Magazine, 2009. For more information, visit: www.amerfatuhiart.com

September 2023 – atelier a One-man-show

 

THREE DECADES OF LOVE

LOVE FINDS A WAY

אהבה

 One-man One-night-mini-show

September 1^st, 2023
From Expressionism To  LOGOGRAMISM Art Style!

Dear Art Lovers,

On September 15^th, the birth date of the well-established artist Amer Hanna Fatuhi, he usually conducts a one-man mini-show every year in his studio (atelier a).

This year is no different but the show will be held on September 1^st, because on September 15^th countless Jews worldwide will celebrate the eve of Rosh Hashanah. Others will celebrate one of the most ancient Babylonian national holidays: The Sacred Tree of Life (date palm tree) Day, also known in the Land of Eden as The Renewal of Life Day. It is also worth noting that dates are a fruit considered holy by the Hebrews (שִׁבְעַת הַמִינִים, Shiv'at HaMinim, Deuteronomy 8:8).

This year is also exceptional because artist Fatuhi will carefully share with selected creative females the many flavors of his artwork for the last three decades, i.e., (themes, concepts, & techniques) as well as a glimpse of his coming two-man art show with artist John Romi, The Ember & The Rose. The event will include paintings, sculptures & poems that share creativity physically, emotionally, and intellectually with the audience.

It is worth noting that due to the space limitation, we are more than happy to receive the creative females with their spouses, and close ones.

Annie Salatyan, the Armenian American artist, is the curator of the show. She is also the senior curator at EA Art Gallery www.EA-ArtG.com. 

Artist Fatuhi may also briefly talk and share the Press-release of his new book The Jews of Babylon, Past & Present, which is scheduled to be released in the second half of August 2023. To learn about the book visit www.JewsofBabylon-Book.com

A limited audience will be present at the private studio (atelier a). Therefore, If you are a scholar or a creative female in the fields of visual art (artist, art critic, art collector, or art dealer), music, poetry, literature, and journalism, then kindly call or text (atelier a) at 248.705.2222 and notify us concerning your visit. 

It is worth noting that the visitors will explore the panoramic angles of the LOGOGRAMISM Art Style created in the late 80s by artist Amer Hanna Fatuhi.

https://atelier-ahf.blogspot.com/2022/06/logogramism-created-by-artist-amer.html 

The Day: September 1^st, 2023 | Time: 6-9 PM

The reception starts at 6 pm. Artist’s tour and open discussion at 7 pm.

                                          Wine, mocktails, & appetizers will be served 

atelier a: 248.705.2222 

 To learn about artist Amer Hanna Fatuhi’s latest projects visit: www.atelier-ahf.blogspot.com

Exploring & Enjoying Three Decades of Love & Captivating Art

From Expressionism To  LOGOGRAMISM Art Style!

You Are My Home!

The HOME Within

You Are My Home!

 

If my home was a tattoo

I would engrave it on my heart

And rest! 

What does home stand for? Is it the place where one lives? When I was stationed away from home, (ironically in my ancestors’ homeland) I started to question what really constitutes a home.

Quite frankly, I was worried that I might go down at any moment from a sniper shot, mortar, or IED. However, I never felt helpless or scared, simply because death is everyone’s fate. This undeniable fact was first spoken in The Epic of Gilgamesh ^[1]  thousands of years ago[RG1] !

My major concern was that no death is justified if not for love! 

Defending home sounds right, but what really is home, and where is home for each one of us? For me, the whole earth is my home, but in particular, my beloved sweetheart is my ultimate home!

Many famous artists have recreated their artworks for one reason or another, including Francisco de Goya, Claude Monet, Piet Mondrian, Pablo Picasso, and more. Some of my old works vanished when their collectors passed away and the inheritors, who were uneducated in art, did not keep them. Other works of mine were looted from museums. Several artworks were destroyed by the evil forces I stood against them when I was young.

The 2012 artwork, Homeland, was always motivating me to redo it differently by playing with the main shape and colors. Therefore, the 2022 artwork, Homeland of Life, is an echo and a reshaping of the 2012 artwork. Homeland of Life is a mix of the complexity of thoughts and simplicity of a shape based on one Logogram symbol referring to the word home and pronounced as Ki/Bit in ancient Sumero-Akkadian^[2] culture, aka Proto-Kaldi^[3].

 Home is like love; you do not have to write a bulky book about it. A tender eye contact or a gentle squeeze of the hand is enough. Actions speak louder than words! 

¹ Gilgamesh was the first hero in ancient Mesopotamia and worldwide mythologies. He is the protagonist of the Epic of Gilgamesh and the first superhero who stood up to cosmic evil forces to help humanity.

² Sumero-Akkadian; relating to, or constituting the Sumerian and Akkadian languages, cultures, or people. 

³ Proto-Kaldi: In 1988, historian Amer Hanna Fatuhi named pre-Sumerian culture Proto-Kaldi. This term was first used in his study entitled “Ur of Chaldeans - An Iraqi Perspective.” Subsequently, it became common among Iraqi scholars in the 1990s and worldwide in 2004.

 

Marching for Peace

 The Bitter Orange Flower of My Soul

         In my dictionary, love and peace are my ultimate goal in life. A goal that I am so committed to and working hard on achieving, but the reality of this broken world is quite different.

         Peace and war are like day and night, you can not recognize and appreciate them without going through both of them.

         Internal peace and external peace are what help us stand up tall in front of all challenges. During the darkest moments in life, one simple dot of light can grow hope inside every and each person’s heart and mind worldwide. Therefore, no matter how hostile is the world around us, no power on earth can stop my march for peace.

         As a soldier of love, I believe in art as the right tool to fight the dark and help peace to be victorious. ~ Amer H. Fatuhi

 

Subject: Wounding the Dark III

Technique: Acrylic & Mixed Media on Canvas

Measurements: 30 x 30 Inches

Date: 2007

Price: $30,000

Ishtar’s Spells

 

Dancing Between Myth & Logogramism’s Lines!

As evidenced by many museums’ displays, the mix of myths and art goes back to the pre-historic period when the first primitive artists/sorcerers used their imagination to interpret weather phenomena (wind, cloud, rain, storm, snow, fog, and dust storms, etc.) as divine practices. As a theme, religion has always influenced artists, past and present. On the other hand, mixing figurative composition and symbolic artwork styles is not recommended because it is like mixing water and fire. In the end, only one element will survive! 

So how can an artwork that uses a religious theme, which some may categorize as myth, mix between figurative and symbolism in painting and still be considered a successful artwork?

 Ishtar’s Spells artwork might seem just an example of how myths could play an important factor in shaping and strengthening our views of the world. For instance, Ishtar & Tammuz’s^[1] death and resurrection myth prove that life can still overcome death through good deeds. What makes this artwork special is not because it beautifully used a myth to present a challenge, but because of the positive impact of Logogramism symbols. 

Using the pictograph symbols made the artwork full of life. Although the pictograph symbols were not the central gravity of the artwork, adding these visual elements to a figurative scene gave the artwork the needed power to captivate art lovers.

Going back and forth between the figurative details and the pictograph symbols of the artwork, Ishtar’s Spells proves that mixing figurative elements with symbols produced a successful artwork against all odds and previous recipes for disaster artworks.

Such carefully conducted methods are like dancing between two parallel lines: no matter how far they go, their destiny is that they will never meet, yet each line continues to give the other line the necessary formula for success.    

Subject: Ishtar’s Spells

Technique: Acrylic on Hardboard Canvas

Measurements: 30 x 40 Inch

Date: 2006

Price: $25,000

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[1] Ishtar & Tammuz, Ishtar and Tammuz are the protagonists of one of the world's first love stories. Ishtar was the goddess of love, war, and fertility, while Tammuz was one of many Mesopotamian gods of fertility and the patronage of herdsmen.