Black Gold, Red Conflict, oil on canvas with mixed media, 60”x48”, 2024

Black Gold, Red Conflict is a piece about the reality of the Iran/Iraq war and how the U.S. played its part. As a country, we preach peace but make decisions based on power. This is one of 14 works I created to critique our history and discuss my fears of ending up at death's door. The U.S. played a painful and contradictory role in the Iran-Iraq War, trying to keep either side from becoming too powerful, especially in the oil-rich region. The U.S. gave intelligence, financial support, and military aid to Iraq. Then, they secretly sold arms to Iran in what became known as the Iran-Contra affair. This “double-dealing” made the conflict last longer, increased suffering, and led to ongoing bitterness in both countries, fueling endless instability in the region. The assault weapons are as much of a grim reaper as the goats. But also, the assault weapons face the live figures, and the oil rig looms over their heads to show death is looming over them.

The Iran/Iraq conflict is just one war my mom and her family lived through to give her this trauma and fear. She lived in fear for the majority of her life, yet my father and brother, the two men in the house, constantly discouraged her from talking about war because she was a woman. They would insensitively speak about people dying in battle and state that it was necessary for the greater good. She and I were automatically considered less knowledgeable about the subject because we were women. We also preferred peaceful politics over violent politics. Growing up, I always attempted to enter these conversations, which usually involved my mom and dad fighting and me trying to de-escalate the situations. I always leaned towards my mom's side because she always advocated for peace and would bring up her fears and real-life stories. She was credible, unlike my father, who had not lived through war himself and had not dealt with the same hardships as her. My father and brother would fight us, saying we didn’t know what we discussed. This is reflected in the story of my dad's planes and how I got ownership of them. 

The U.S. intervenes in other countries, stating it’s for humanitarian reasons (like fighting oppressive regimes or aiding civilians during wars). Still, when those displaced by these interventions seek refuge in the U.S., they are met with resistance, restrictive immigration policies, and racism. This contradiction criticizes deeper issues about how the U.S. lacks responsibility for the people impacted by its actions abroad.

From a feminist perspective, the situation is even worse for women and children, who face risks of violence and exploitation in both conflict zones and as refugees. Sometimes, the U.S. uses women’s rights as a justification for intervention. Still, this stance is rarely matched by policies prioritizing their safety and well-being during the conflict or resettlement.