Layla Al-Attar

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Layla Al-Attar (born in Baghdad, Iraq) was an Iraqi artist and painter and graduated from the Academy of fine Arts in Baghdad. She had once held five one-women shows in Iraq and took part in all national and other collective exhibitions held in the country and abroad. She was also a political activist, as she frequently spoke out against the still ongoing US bombardment campaign of Iraq, although the first Gulf War had ended a few years earlier, the US was still targeting military installations in Iraq.[1]

Layla also took part in Kuwait Biennil (1973), the first Arab biennil (Baghdad 1974), 2nd Arab biennil (1976), Kuwait Biennil (1981) and won the Golden Sail Medal in Cairo Biennia (1984). She was director of the Iraqi National Art Museum.[2]

On June 27, 1993, Layla along with her husband and housekeeper died of a bombing raid led by the United States missile attack on Baghdad which was ordered by President Bill Clinton in retaliation for an assassination attempt on George H. W. Bush. It was reported that these were the first civilian deaths that Clinton was responsible for when president. [3]

Kris Kristofferson dedicated and wrote a song about Layla named The Circle.[4]

[edit] References

  1. ^ PoetryFoundation.org: Journals
  2. ^ Losing Sleep Over Layla Al-attar (And Countless Thousands Of Other Dead Iraqis)
  3. ^ : kaia sand :
  4. ^ Oh Boy Records | Kris Kristofferson Bio

[edit] External links

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