Water crossing (bridges)

This collection supports and promotes awareness to the important mission and framework of the Al-Mutanabbi Street Starts Here Coalition's focus on the lasting power of the written word and the arts in support of the free expression of ideas, the preservation of shared cultural spaces, and the importance of responding to attacks, both overt and subtle, on artists, writers, and academics working under oppressive regimes or in zones of conflict, despite the destruction of that literary/cultural content. "For me, books represent a communion of minds that can transcend time and place. I feel fortunate to participate in a worthwhile project that honours booksellers and artisans. As I worked, I thought about the structure of a bookselling centre - both architectural and social - and how that structure shattered in seconds in March 2007. I considered the aftermath of the bombing and the history held in the remains"--Artist's statement from the Book Arts at the Centre for Fine Print Research, UK website.