He studied political science and philosophy and spent several years working as a community organizer before establishing his art practice. Born in Baghdad, Iraq, he lived in Montreal and Paris, and moved to Harlem in 2003 where he is currently the founder and director of the Harlem Biennale. He has received the German Critics Visual Arts Prize (Berlin), The Golden Sheaf Film Award (Canada), the Prix Alain de Rothschild (France), the Spiro Institute Award (UK), and his work is exhibited and published internationally.