Drone hits the Great Ziggurat of Ur
Multimedia 2016–17

Video

Duration 3 minutes 37 seconds

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Drone hits the Great Ziggurat of Ur consisting of four parts of interrelated artworks: A large scale photographic print, two video projections, an architectural hologram and a growing number of drawings. Created by London based artist Hanaa Malallah and executed in collaboration with Iraq based artist Raya Abed Redah and her team (photographer Asad Nyazi and filmmaker Methaq Naim), and the architect Hisham Al Azzawi the project explores the ancient Mesopotamian Ziggurat, its historical context, religious and existential dimensions and the Drone as signifier of the present digital age and its multi-tasking technical devises. 

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The clash between the Drone and the Ziggurat opens a complex and contradictory space for interpretation. A distinctive archaeological monument and world heritage site located near Nasiriya in Dhi Qaar province, Iraq and dated to the 3rd Millennium BCE, the massive four sided structure was excavated in 1920 by Sir Leonard Woolley of the British Museum, London. The first photographic image of it was thus taken in a colonial context. Subsequently the site drew many visitors. In 2003 American groups are photographed descending the stairs. The images were distributed in the Internet.