Last May, the Goethe-Institut, a non-profit German cultural association, invited a group of artists to Erbil to participate in various activities. Among the invitees were two Kurdish citizens living in Germany, one of whom was the painter Hasan Huseyin Deveci, who is also known by his artistic name Malmime. 

Born in 1972 in the Kurdish village of Kulu in Konya, Turkey, Malmime says that his family descends from Kurds exiled to central Anatolia by the Ottomans roughly 400 years ago. Despite this exile, the family preserved its Kurdish language and culture, and Malmime, the name of one of his grandmothers. The artist has lived in Germany since 1994 and studied painting in Cologne, where he learned the Kurdish Kurmanci dialect academically at the age of 31.

Malmime’s biography makes it clear why a significant institution like the Goethe-Institut would invite him to Erbil. Beyond being an artist, he works as an art therapist and educator, engaging in art projects throughout Germany, particularly in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia.

Between 2003 and 2024, Malmime has showcased his work in numerous solo and group exhibitions across Germany, Italy, Spain, France, and Austria, with his joint exhibition in Kurdistan being a notable highlight. One of his proudest achievements is his participation in the 53rd Venice Biennale in 2009 alongside 13 other artists from all parts of Kurdistan. He is also a member of several international artists' organizations, including the International Society of Fine Arts in Berlin and the International Association of Plastic Arts.

Coming to Erbil

Malmime’s visit to Erbil had two main purposes. The first was to open an exhibition exploring the relationship between art and music. Malmime has been experimenting with a technique of “painting the melody of music” for nearly seven years and was able to showcase several large paintings in Erbil for the first time. The second purpose was to conduct a three-day workshop on the relationship between art and the environment, which was attended by 15 artists.

Malmime explains that his visit to Erbil aimed to build a bridge between Middle Eastern art and the Western world, and to allow him to reconnect with his homeland on a personal and artistic level. Having been born and raised in Turkey and then settling in Germany, this trip was his first visit to the Kurdistan Region, allowing him to spend time among his people and gain new experiences. He describes his time in Erbil as the fulfillment of a lifelong dream, not just for himself, but also for his ancestors, who longed to visit their historic homeland.

Malmime elaborates on his artistic message in German on his website: “I give my figures their attitude, and the viewer gives them a position. A connection should be created between the viewer and the work, which evokes memories and experiences in the viewer or awakens fantasies and dreams. My figures often have a function like I do. They have their own way and life, as well as their own strengths and weaknesses. With this function, they not only act out something, but often imitate it.”

Additionally, he writes: “With my art, I want to create new perspectives and viewpoints to perceive and interpret reality. I want to lead the viewer behind the scenes of reality and encourage them to engage with the symbolism of reality.”

Artistic connections

In speaking with Kurdistan Chronicle, Malmime recounted his experiences in Kurdistan, including speaking to the police in Kurdish for the first time in his life. He reflected on the positive impact of seeing the Kurdistan flag in public and private spaces. 

“Although I was legally in a foreign country, I had a strong feeling of belonging during my two-week stay. The nature of the country, especially the unique mountains of Kurdistan, impressed me deeply. There’s great potential for attracting tourists from all over the world,” Malmime exclaimed. 

He did highlight that it was discouraging to see so much litter around the city. “The prevalent garbage saddened me, especially given my environmental project. The population’s indifference towards the environment was also disappointing, but I am optimistic that through work and projects like mine, people will become more environmentally conscious,” he said.

Malmime believes that art and culture in Kurdistan are like undiscovered treasures and that, with the cooperation of specialized institutions in Kurdistan, he will do his utmost to uncover these treasures and strengthen the artistic connection between Kurdistan, Germany, and the world. 

“There are both very rich and poor people in Kurdistan, but they all share a hospitality and kindness that preserve values we rarely find in Europe. In short, I fell in love with the Kurdistan Region and plan to include it in my future personal and artistic projects. My goal is to share my experiences with Kurdistan and help young artists adopt new perspectives, becoming representatives and flag bearers of Kurdish art, blending it with world art,” he explained.

Malmime is currently discussing with his wife and children the possibility of including Kurdistan in their annual travel plans. He feels a strong connection to the region and wants his children to develop a spiritual bond with their ancestral land. “The feelings, experiences, and visions I gained in Kurdistan are so profound that I believe they could fill the pages of a book,” Malmime concluded.

Baker Schwani is a Kurdish writer and translator based in Germany. He has translated several acclaimed novels into Kurdish. Schwani was born in Kirkuk and studied geology in Baghdad before moving to Germany and obtaining a degree in oriental studies at the University of Bonn.