Story of Water and Fire is a captivating account of the joint life of two prominent figures in the Iraqi art scene, poet and art critic May Muzaffar and artist Rafa Nasiri. This book offers a glimpse into the social and artistic milieu of Baghdad from the 1960s to the 1990s, as well as the couple's travels during this period and their years of exile in Amman and Manama. Through vivid descriptions and rarely seen photographs, May Muzaffar provides insights into their position in the Arab and international art scenes. The book serves as a guide to the archival material that al Mawrid Arab Center for the Study of Art at NYU Abu Dhabi has digitized and made available for researchers, creating an expanded space for exploration and understanding of the remarkable work of this generation.

MAY MUZAFFAR (*1940, Baghdad) is a poet, short story writer, art critic, and translator. Having graduated in English literature from Baghdad University in 1961, she has published seven collections of poetry and five collections of short stories in Baghdad, Beirut, and Amman. She authored books on art and artists, and has also edited several books on Rafa Nasiri's art. She is the sponsor of Rafa Nasiri's art heritage and organizes an annual award for graphic arts in his name, since 2014.