His camera chronicled Kurdistan’s journey for over seventy years, leaving behind an irreplaceable cultural archive.
Mohammed Amin Qadir, affectionately known as “Mama Hama the Painter,” was one of Sulaymaniyah’s most veteran photographers. Born in 1940, he dedicated more than seven decades of his life to photography and was the founder and owner of the well-known “Vian” photography studio.
Inside his studio, Mama Hama carefully preserved all the cameras and equipment he had used throughout his career, turning the place into a living archive of his artistic journey. For over 70 years, he tirelessly captured images, never allowing age or time to slow him down.
What made his work remarkable was not only its longevity but also its depth. Mama Hama photographed countless personalities across Kurdistan, leaving behind a treasure of visual history. Many people who posed for him as children would return 50 or 60 years later to have their portraits taken again, with his photos spanning across nearly seven decades of their lives.
His archive stands today as a vital cultural and historical record, with photographs that combine technical mastery and artistic beauty. These works will remain a valuable source of memory and documentation for generations to come.
For Mama Hama, photography was more than a profession — it was his soul’s calling. He never stopped working, believing that every frame was part of a larger story of Kurdistan and its people.
On the morning of March 20, 2025, Mama Hama the Painter passed away suddenly at the age of 85, leaving behind not only his art but also an enduring legacy etched in the collective memory of his nation.
The Kurdish Globe