Iraqi artist builds over 300 working models to aid science education
Home workshop in Maysan becomes hub for functional engineering prototypes made from scrap materials
MAYSAN, Iraq (MNTV) — An Iraqi artist is transforming scrap materials into functional models of turbines, engines, and power stations from his home workshop in southern Iraq.
His goal is to enhance science education by demonstrating real-world technical concepts to students across the country, reported Shafaq News.
Karar Jabar, who goes by the name Kari al-Maliki, has created more than 300 functional models using recycled materials in a compact room behind his family home in Maysan province.
His handmade machines, built from salvaged wood, aluminum, plastic, and other components, serve both as artistic expressions and practical teaching tools.
“Models should demonstrate, not decorate,” Kari told MNTV. “Each one should do something, not just sit there.”
His journey began in childhood when a school art project led him to construct a model using discarded wire and plastic.
Encouraged by the response, he pursued this passion through high school and university, focusing on learning how things work rather than simply creating visual pieces.
Kari now divides his work into three categories: personal inventions, exhibition pieces showcased at local festivals or online, and commissioned models for clients.
He uses the income from these commissions to reinvest in tools and materials, transforming his home-based workshop into a self-sustaining lab.
“I’ve built machines up to two meters long in this one room,” he said. “Every tool, every wire, every piece is selected for what it can do, not what it costs.”
His models, many of which are motorized or simulate real industrial processes, have drawn attention from Iraqi university professors who now use them in engineering and science classes.
“These models allow us to show function in classrooms where real equipment is unaffordable or unavailable,” said Dr. Haider al-Abadi, a mechanical engineering lecturer in Maysan. “They’re accurate, practical, and invaluable in technical education.”
Some of Kari’s designs replicate turbines, pumping stations, and engine systems, bridging the gap between theory and practical understanding for students.
Despite suffering injuries from tools and heat-based shaping techniques, he continues to work with determination.
“Every scar reminds me that this work matters,” he said.
Kari currently stores most of his creations in his workshop due to a lack of display space but remains focused on his long-term vision: completing 1,000 working models that serve educational, artistic, and technical purposes.
“Creativity has no point if it doesn’t serve others,” he said. “If one student learns from what I built, the model has already succeeded.”
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