In this book, Iraqi artist and curator Sundus Abdul Hadi turns a critical and inventive eye on the notion of care and how it relates to struggle. In contrast to the capitalist phenomenon of self-care, Abdul Hadi chooses to locate care as a necessary practice rooted in self, community and the world, as a tool in decolonizing, empowerment and liberation. To illustrate these ideas, Abdul Hadi explores the role of the artist in reflecting on trauma and systemic oppression, weaving in the artwork of artists from diverse backgrounds whose works intersect with notions of struggle and care. Using care as an approach, Abdul Hadi centers the voices of those often relegated to the margins of the (art) world, by emphasizing the importance of creating safe spaces for their stories and art. The potential for the transformative power of care exists in these spaces, offering counter-narratives to the mainstream, and perhaps even sparking systemic change.

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