Prepared bySalam Atta Sabri

2012

Modern Art in Iraq

"If any artist seeks a goal they should put all their efforts and

life in it and they should observe all the old to create the new"

Jawad Salim

 

The artistic cultural heritage reflects the life of the

community, its history and its identity. Its preservation

helps to rebuild broken communities, re-establish their

identities, and link their past with their present and

future.

 

Roots of Creativity

• First general of Iraqi artists studied in Military Academy in Istanbul, miniature painting and Arabic calligraphy. Abed Alqadir Al-Rasam, Mohammed Salim Moussali, Hassan Sami, Mohammed Saleh Zaki, Assem Hafith.

• 1930 first – Industrial and Agriculture Exhibition- by King Faisal I , Jawad Salim , Hafidh Al-Dorooby, Atta Sabri.

Governmental Support 1931- Ministry of Knowledge, Akram Shukry- UK.1935- King Faisal I, Faik Hassan- Paris, School Ecole des beaux Art.1937- Ministry of Knowledge, Hafidh Al-Dorooby, Atta Sabri- Italian Royal, Academy of Art.1939- Painting Department-Institute of Fine Art, Baghdad.

Akram Shukry Faik Hassan

They were known by their fruits 

The Friends of Art Association, established 1941, Abed Alqadir Al-Rasam, Mohammed Salim Moussali,Nahida Al-Haydery, Hassan Sami, Mohammed Saleh Zaki, Reshad Hatim, Assem Hafith, Fathi Safwat, Shaukat Al-Khafaf, Daniel Qasab, Essa Hanna, Jawad Saleem, Said Ali Mathlum, Medahtt Ali, Hafidh Al-Dorooby and Atta Sabri. 

Harvest's Time•Akram Shukry- university of London,Slade School of Fine Art 1931.

•Jawad Salim,France and Romo1938.

•Qassim Naji, Camberwell, College of Arts1939.

•Faik Hassn. Ecole Superieure des beaux Art, Paris1939.

•Hafidh Al-Dorooby, Goldsmith College UK 1950.

•Atta Sabri, university of London,Slade School of Fine Art 1950.

•Ismail Al-Shikhly,Ecole Superieure des beaux Art,Paris1951.

•Ismail Fattah- Academy of Fine Arts, Rome1963.

•Khaled Al-Rahhal, Academy of Fine Arts, Rome 1964.

Movements – Fine Art Group

•The (S.P) Pioneers 1950, Faiq Hassan.•Baghdad Group of Modern Art 1951, Jawad Salim.•The Impressionists 1952, Hafidh Al-Dorooby.•The Innovationists1965, Neda Kadem, Selman Abbass•The New Vision1968, by Dia Al-Azawi and Rafa Al-Nasiri.•The One Dimension 1970, Mohamed Ghany Hekmatt.

Hafidh Al-Dorooby.

Culture's Cooperation

Atta Sabri

•The British Council, exhibition1950s, Iraqi artists who had studied in UK.with Jawad Salim, Lorna Salim, Jibra Ibrahim Jibra, Hafidh Al-Dorooby, Atta Sabri, Khalid Al-Bassam, Mahmoud Sabri.

•American Friends of the Middle East Association, exhibitions and trips to U.S.A, Jawad Salim, Faiq Hassan.

Exhibition• Iraqi Artists Association 1956, by

King Faisal II, first president.

• Al-Mansour Club art Exhibition,

1956, 1957, 1958, by King Faisal II.

• Touring exhibition 1556, Ross

Thomas and Atta Sabri, Mousul,

Kurdstan and Baghdad

Western influences 

•Iraqi Artists Association 1956, by King Faisal II, first president.•Al-Mansour Club art Exhibition, 1956, 1957, 1958, by King Faisal II.•Museum of Modern Art, established 1962, Gulbenkian Foundation.•Academy of Art, establish1963, Baghdad.

Protection of Iraqi heritage

• House of Folklore 1970, Institute of Art

Traditional Crafts, by Atta Sabri.

• Documentation Iraqi heritage, Dr Kalid

Al-Jader, Atta Sabri ,Najeeb Younis.

Saving the pioneers' artworks

• Baghdad Art Center, established 1986.• A hall for each pioneer.• Budget, buy artworks from pioneer and others.

Protection of artistic cultural heritage in the Event of Armed Conflict

Before 2003, Over 7,000 works.

Before 2003, Over 7,000 works.

Today734

Today734

Looting Treasures

2003 - Baghdad Center for Arts, was looted.

2003 - Baghdad Center for Arts, was looted.

Looted location• Baghdad Center for the Arts, had over

7,000 works

• Baghdad International Airport , 50

artworks, mostly murals 

• Al-Rashid Hotel, over 20 monumental

works (painting and sculpture) some 900

original prints, graphic art of Rafa Al-

Nasiri and Hashim Al-Taweel.

• Republican Palaces, unknown numbers

of artworks, craft, gifts, and documents.

• Conferences Palace, uncertain number of

artworks, large scales.

Accomplishments and InitiativesRetrieved 734 artworks by

•Popular Committee, Mohamed Ghany Hekmatt, 82 artworks.•Book Dr.Nada Shabout…….•Red list Iraqi artworks-Missing. •Direct contact, Dia Al-Azawi, (Lost City) P87.•Interpol, Publications, stolen artworks.•FBI. Publications, stolen artworks.•Embassy of Swiss (bought and dedicated 43 artworks).•Coalition Provisional Authority (CPA), 13 artworks.•US Embassy in Baghdad- Iraq and Dubai.

Current Development Over 6.000 stolen artworks.

•New Project.•Book, Emergency red list.•Object, Connecting People and Bridging Information.

• Goal, trategy for argeting rganized iracy.

•CDs of almost the missing artworks, Modern Art Museum, Baghdad.•Catalogues and Documents.•Need support and funding from Institutes, Museums and Businessmen.•Distribution by ICOM.

S T O P

Result • Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict• Illicit Traffic of Cultural Property.• Promoting the Return of Cultural Property • Retrieval of artwork in case of Illicit Appropriation.

I trust the present collection of artworks will give not only an idea of what I have tried to say, but also some visual pleasure to those who might want to know more about Iraq art.

Hassan Abd Alwan

Faraj Abou

Mahoud Ahmad

Layla Al-Attar

Widad Al-Awrfley

Dhiea Al-Azawi

Atta Sabri

Ardash Kafakyan

Jawad Salim

Mohamed Arif

Jawad Salim

Souad Al-Attar

Hafidh Al Dorooby

Ali Al Jaberi

Khaled Al Jader

Khaled Al Jader

Sadie Al Kaibi

Rafi Al Naseri

Rafi Al Naseri

Amir Al Obaidi

Khaled Al Rahhal

Nouri Al Rawi

Miran Al Sadie

Idane Al Sheikhli

Isma’el Al Sheikhly

Isma’el Al Sheikhly

Sa’ád Al Taiee

Hashem Al Tawel

Alaa Basheer

Rakan Dabdoob

Ismail Fattah Al Turk

Ismail Fattah Al Turk

Mohammed Ghani Hekmet

Dara Hama See

THIS PRESENTATION MADE POSSIBLE BYSALAM ATTA SABRI& THE MIDDLE EAST STUDIES CENTER AT PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY