When I was growing up in Iraq, there was an unbroken belief in progress and a great sense of optimism. It was a moment of nation building.

When I taught, all my best students were women.

I will always have two regrets. I don't have a presence in London, and I would have liked to have done more work in the Middle East.

I don't particularly like showing furniture on pedestals, but for whatever reasons you always have to in museums.

Being Iraqi taught me to be very cautious.

Wherever I am in the world, my perfect day begins with waking up and heading to the beach or the pool or somewhere I can be semi-comatose. I just wake up and go to the sun.

I made a decision when I was in school that I'd have a lot of male friends.