The invisible enemy should not exist (Northwest Palace of Nimrud)
2018 - ongoing
Arabic newspapers, food packaging, cardboard relief sculptures on wood panel, museum labels

Built with the assistance of:

Elizabeth Allen-Cannon, Yani Aviles, Daniel G. Baird, Larissa Borteh, Christian Campos, Maryam Faridani, J. Michael Ford, Alyx Harch, Erin Hayden, Emily Kay Henson, Elnaz Javanidizaji, Frances Lee, Wen Liu, Bishal Manandhar, Noel Morical, Talal Khalid Al Najjar, Annie Raccuglia, Nick Raffel, Jeff Robinson, Deniz Turkoglu, Neal Vandenbergh

Dedicated to the memory of Selma Al-Radi, Sam Paley, and Dr. Donny George Youkhanna

The invisible enemy should not exist (Northwest Palace of Nimrud) constructs reappearances of historically looted and recently destroyed relief sculptures that lined the walls of the ancient Assyrian Palace of Nimrud (present day Mosul, Iraq).

Nimrud gallery
Room N, Panel N-14 Photo by Robert Chase Heishman

Room N, Panel N-14

Photo by Robert Chase Heishman

Panel G-20 at Barbara Wien Gallery, Berlin

Panel G-20 at Barbara Wien Gallery, Berlin

Room Z at Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago

Room Z at Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago

Room Z at Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago

Room Z at Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago

Room G at Malmö Konsthall, photo by Helene Toresdotter

Room G at Malmö Konsthall, photo by Helene Toresdotter

Sketch for CURRENT:LA Public Art Triennial installation

Sketch for CURRENT:LA Public Art Triennial installation

Room F at CURRENT:LA Public Art Triennial

Room F at CURRENT:LA Public Art Triennial

Room F at Jane Lombard Gallery, New York

Room F at Jane Lombard Gallery, New York

Panel G-13 with existing fragment from the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago

Panel G-13 with existing fragment from the Oriental Institute at the University of Chicago

Label

Label

Floorplan of the Northwest Palace of Nimrud

Floorplan of the Northwest Palace of Nimrud

Drawings of Northwest Palace panels by archaeologist A. H. Layard and other artists from Nimrud

Drawings of Northwest Palace panels by archaeologist A. H. Layard and other artists from Nimrud

Michael Rakowitz (Detail of new work, on view for the first time, commissioned by the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College.) Panel H-13, Room H, Northwest Palace of Nimrud, from the series The invisible enemy should not exist , 2

Michael Rakowitz (Detail of new work, on view for the first time, commissioned by the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College.) Panel H-13, Room H, Northwest Palace of Nimrud, from the series The invisible enemy should not exist, 2020.

Middle Eastern food packaging and newspapers, with glue on panel, 194 x 230 cm.

Courtesy of the artist and Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago.

The project was underwritten by a grant from the Daniel W. Dietrich ’64 Fund for Innovation in the Arts.

The project was underwritten by a grant from the Daniel W. Dietrich ’64 Fund for Innovation in the Arts.

Michael Rakowitz (Detail of new work, on view for the first time, commissioned by the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College.) Panel H-12, Room H, Northwest Palace of Nimrud, from the series The invisible enemy should not exist , 2

Michael Rakowitz (Detail of new work, on view for the first time, commissioned by the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College.) Panel H-12, Room H, Northwest Palace of Nimrud, from the series The invisible enemy should not exist, 2020.

Middle Eastern food packaging and newspapers, with glue on panel, 93cm x 230 cm.

Courtesy of the artist and Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago.

The project was underwritten by a grant from the Daniel W. Dietrich ’64 Fund for Innovation in the Arts.

The project was underwritten by a grant from the Daniel W. Dietrich ’64 Fund for Innovation in the Arts.

Michael Rakowitz (Detail of new work, on view for the first time, commissioned by the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College.) Corner panel H-11, Room H, Northwest Palace of Nimrud, from the series The invisible enemy should not ex

Michael Rakowitz (Detail of new work, on view for the first time, commissioned by the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College.) Corner panel H-11, Room H, Northwest Palace of Nimrud, from the series The invisible enemy should not exist, 2020.

Middle Eastern food packaging and newspapers, with glue on panel, Left side panel: 37 x 230 cm, Right side panel: 88 x 230 cm.

Courtesy of the artist and Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago.

The project was underwritten by a grant from the Daniel W. Dietrich ’64 Fund for Innovation in the Arts.

The project was underwritten by a grant from the Daniel W. Dietrich ’64 Fund for Innovation in the Arts.

Michael Rakowitz (Installation view of new work, on view for the first time, commissioned by the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College.) Room H , from the series The invisible enemy should not exist (Northwest Palace of Nimrud) ,

Michael Rakowitz (Installation view of new work, on view for the first time, commissioned by the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College.) Room H, from the series The invisible enemy should not exist (Northwest Palace of Nimrud), 2020.

Middle Eastern food packaging and newspapers, with glue on panel.

Courtesy of the artist and Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago.

The project was underwritten by a grant from the Daniel W. Dietrich ’64 Fund for Innovation in the Arts.

Michael Rakowitz (Installation view of new work, on view for the first time, commissioned by the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College.) Room H , from the series The invisible enemy should not exist (Northwest Palace of Nimrud) ,

Michael Rakowitz (Installation view of new work, on view for the first time, commissioned by the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College.) Room H, from the series The invisible enemy should not exist (Northwest Palace of Nimrud), 2020.

Middle Eastern food packaging and newspapers, with glue on panel.

Courtesy of the artist and Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago.

The project was underwritten by a grant from the Daniel W. Dietrich ’64 Fund for Innovation in the Arts.

Michael Rakowitz (Installation view of new work, on view for the first time, commissioned by the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College.) Room H , from the series The invisible enemy should not exist (Northwest Palace of Nimrud) ,

Michael Rakowitz (Installation view of new work, on view for the first time, commissioned by the Ruth and Elmer Wellin Museum of Art at Hamilton College.) Room H, from the series The invisible enemy should not exist (Northwest Palace of Nimrud), 2020.

Middle Eastern food packaging and newspapers, with glue on panel.

Courtesy of the artist and Rhona Hoffman Gallery, Chicago.

The project was underwritten by a grant from the Daniel W. Dietrich ’64 Fund for Innovation in the Arts.