Curator and writer Regine Basha presents a specially commissioned edition of Tuning Baghdad in conjunction with the Michael Rakowtiz exhibition. Tuning Baghdad began in 1998 with collecting super-8mm home movies, cassettes and photocopies from Basha’s family and family friends, and has since grown as a music narrative through many formats — including the original documentary website, a radio show, live concerts, and an audio-visual presentation in collaboration with Michael Rakowitz’s performative dinner Dar Al Sulh.

Tuningbaghdad.com chronicles the rich and hidden Baghdadi music history from the 1920s till the late 1940s, a time when Jewish musicians were significant contributors to Iraq’s cultural heritage, through the Iraqi ‘Maqam’ Chaghli Baghdad, and the founding of Iraq’s first National Radio Broadcast station by the Kuwaiti brothers.

Regine Basha is a curator, writer and radio producer. She holds degrees from New York University/Concordia Universityand from Bard College Center for Curatorial studies. Her project history may be found on Bashaprojects.com