Jawad Salim, a pioneering Iraqi artist who died prematurely at the age of 41, in his last photo standing next to his almost finished magnum opus. The Monument of Freedom one of Baghdad's most recognisable icons, it adorns the Tahrir Square at the heart of Baghdad's eastern bank. The monument was to become a metaphor for republican Iraq's struggle for justice and freedom. Although many other monuments were commissioned and erected in Saddam's era, none were able to eclipse or capture the aura of Nusb Al-Tahrir. It has also become a common motif for many Iraqi and Arab poets.
Photo courtesy Safynaz Kazem