Michael Rakowitz: Backstroke of the West

Iraqi-American Michael Rakowitz’s provocative multimedia projects confront popular political histories, particularly those of the US and Iraq. Whether serving Iraqi cuisine from his Enemy Kitchen food truck alongside Iraqi refugees and war vets, or recreating items lost during the 2003 looting of the National Museum in Baghdad, Rakowitz works to address the trauma created by Saddam Hussein’s regime and the US. The book explores ten of Rakowitz’s most renowned works and a new commission. The accompanying texts, drawings, and personal commentary offer a multi-faceted look at the artist’s entire practice, demonstrating art’s ability to engage and confront the viewer and to generate socio-political commentary across broad social and cultural divides.