In October of 2016 Teddy Abrams went to an art exhibit at the 1619 Flux Gallery. The sole artist in the exhibit “Displaced Narratives” was Vian Sora, a visual artist from Bagdad who now resides in Louisville. That is where the idea for War + Peace germinated.

“I started thinking,” said Abrams, “that many Americans likely don’t know many people (if any) from Iraq, which is surprising considering how important the relationship between these countries has been for the past almost two decades. And if someone did happen to know someone from Iraq, the chances they shared an intimate conversation about the war is likely minimal. As an artist, Vian is continually exploring that area and opening up the door to have that conversation.” Click here to read more.