Yuhana Nashmi is an Iraqi-Australian visual artist and ceramicist.[1][2]
Early life
Nashmi was born in
Baghdad, Iraq.[3] His malwasha (
baptismal name) is Ram bar Sharat Semat (
Classical Mandaic: ࡓࡀࡌ ࡁࡓ ࡔࡀࡓࡀࡕ ࡎࡉࡌࡀࡕ, romanized: Ram br Šarat Simat). In Iraq, he was initiated as a
tarmida. He immigrated to Australia in the early 2000s after living in
Amman, Jordan from 1998–2000.[4]
Career
In the mid-2010s, Nashmi collaborated with Christine Robins (née Allison) of the
University of Exeter on The Worlds of Mandaean Priests project to document the Mandaean priesthood. Nashmi served as a field worker and cultural consultant for the project.[5]
In 2018, Nashmi created Sh-ken-ta, an exhibition of a
shkinta (reed house used for Mandaean priestly rituals), as a site-specific installation at the
Casula Powerhouse Arts Centre.[6][7]
Nashmi also exhibited artwork at the
Georges River in 2022.[10] As of 2023, he currently works in
art psychotherapy and ceramics tutoring, and runs NeshmART Studio in the
Sydney metropolitan area.[11] Nashmi also collaborates with indigenous ceramicists in
Palawan, Philippines to help them revive their traditional crafts.
Personal life
Nashmi is married to Lily A. Nashmi, an Iraqi Mandaean who spent much of her early life in New Zealand. The couple has a
Labrador Retriever named Neshma (
Classical Mandaic: ࡍࡉࡔࡌࡀ, romanized: Nišma,
lit. 'Soul'; pronounced [ˈniʃma]),[12] who also works as a
therapy dog.[4]
Yuhana Nashmi is also known as Sheikh Alaa Nashmi (also spelled Ala’a Nashmi;
Arabic: علاء النشمي).[13][14]: 21
Bibliography
Nickerson, Angela; Melhem, Esber; Steel, Zachary; Nashmi, Yuhana; Bryant, Richard; Al-Zuhairi, Bushra; Silove, Derrick; Al-Zuhairi, Fayhaa; Touze, Dominique Le (2008). The Wellbeing of Sydney Mandaeans.
ISBN978-0-646-50464-3.
^Gelbert, Carlos (2017). "Colophon of
Sheykh Salah".
The Teachings of the Mandaean John the Baptist. Fairfield, NSW, Australia: Living Water Books. p. 175.
ISBN9780958034678.
OCLC1000148487. And there are two disciples [assisting] me who came from Iraq, the land of Babel (aka u-mur kai trin tarmidia mn īaraq babil [?] aktun). One of them is called Alaa (علاء) al-Našmi by name and his family name is al-bu-Zahrun.
^Buckley, Jorunn Jacobsen (2023). 1800 Years of Encounters with Mandaeans. Gorgias Mandaean Studies. Vol. 5. Piscataway, NJ: Gorgias Press.
ISBN978-1-4632-4132-2.
ISSN1935-441X.