Sending A Message Back

Nobody wants to say who did it. But someone bombed Baghdad's centuries-old literary district back in '07, killing 30 people as they sat among the book stalls and cafes, drinking tea and smoking. Nobody wants to be caught reading much of anything since then, let alone engaging in the free exchange of ideas from around the world that was once the hallmark of the winding old alleyway. At the "Al-Mutanabbi Street Broadside Project," find a large collection of letterpress posters responding to the bombing. "The Qur’an, the Bible, and the Britannica all burn the same color," reads one. Over 130 artist/printer teams have contributed, and tonight, poets read from their contributions to an accompanying anthology, Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here.

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An opening reception for the "Al-Mutanabbi Street Broadside Project" starts at 7:30 p.m.
April 2-May 2, 2010