There isn’t one single emotion that is conjured up when Iraq is present in my mind.

But, no matter how I feel, love is ever present when I think of the warmth, attachment and yearning I remember from the time I have spent there. And on days when I crave that love the most, I look through my photography for comfort. In that sense, my camera enables me to travel back and forth between Iraq and Scotland, especially on those days when I’m looking for a sunny escape from the rainy doldrums of winter. I share these images with you today as a way of giving you a peek into the way love looks like in Iraq. The way it brings people together, the way it bridges generations, and even the way it colours the leaves of its iconic palm trees and bright blue skies.

An older Iraqi woman stares into the camera with a red rose in her hand.
‘The red rose of strength.’
A picturesque scene of palm trees against a blue sky as seen from inside a car.
‘The dreaming palm tree.’
A father holds his child amidst a lush scene of palm trees in Iraq.
‘A father’s love.’
A child looks into the camera as she hangs on to the back of a stationary pick up truck.
‘Moments of joy, hope and happiness.’
Two men are seen in conversation on a river bank, being watched attentively by a child who stands nearby.
‘A river of memories.’

About the Artist
Haneen Hadiy is an Iraqi photographer born and raised in Glasgow, Scotland. She is currently a Fine Art Photography student at Glasgow School of Art.