Iraq: still going strong

Sunday, January 16, 2005 to Sunday, February 27, 2005

Sunday, March 6, 2005 to Sunday, April 3, 2005

Laurierstraat 71 1016 PJ Amsterdam The Netherlands Hooglandsekerkgracht 8 2312 HT Leiden The Netherlands

Shakir Hassan Al Saïd, 1925 – 2003, Smawa

1945 B.A. Social Studies
1954 Institute of Fine Arts, Baghdad, diploma painting
1955-1960 Académie des Beaux Arts, Paris, decorative arts
1968-1969 panting teacher in Saudi Arabia, emerged the idea of ‘one dimension’
19?70-?? painting teacher at the Academy of Fine Arts, Baghdad

Just like Ismaïl Fattah Shakir Hassan had a lot of here not mentioned one man and group shows and participated in prestigious Biennials and Triennials, e.g. Sao Paulo, New Delhi and Venice. As co-founder of the ‘Group of Baghdad of Modern Art’, 1951, he called for an equation between traditional heritage and modernism. Before graduating in painting in 1954 at the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad, in 1948 he had already obtained a B.A. in social science. As a result of ‘his research into the Islamic past he was able to develop a style which incorporates indigenous and international trends’ Folk-art and legends had his interest. ‘After his return from Paris he became an abstract painter with a mystical and contemplative aura. His symbols comprise wall cracks, graffito, numerals and Arabic letters.’ [1989 Wijdan Ali, ‘Contemporary Art from the Islamic world’ p.161].

Ismaïl Fattah 1934-2004

1958 Institute of Fine Arts Baghdad, diploma of sculpture
1959 Institute of Fine Arts Baghdad, diploma of painting
1964 Academy of Fine Arts, Rome, diploma of sculpture and Jachomo Academy Rome, diploma of ceramics
1974-2002 professor of sculpture Fine Arts Academy, Baghdad

Included the before mentioned Biennials and Triennial Fattah had a multitude of one man and group shows. In Italy he was awarded with three and in Iraq with many prices. Public buildings and squares in Baghdad are adorned with Ismaïl Fattah’s often colossal works and murals, e.g. ‘The Martyr Monument’, a combination of Islamic aesthetics with Western skill and technology Hewas considered the best Iraqi sculptor. Early already he had been influenced by the English sculptors Henry Moore and Kenneth Armitage. Also surrealism and Freuds interpretation of dreams had their impact and the thin, small, rectangular statues from Sumerian time fed his technique and his imagination. Comparable marks characterize his paintings.

Salem al Dabagh, 1941, Mousai

1965 BA in Art, Academy of Baghdad; 1966 diploma in Art, Germany
1967-1969 teacher Portuguese Art Society, Lisbon
1972-2000 Art teacher and for many years Head of the Graphic Department of the Fine Arts Institute in Baghdad

solo exhibitions: 1972 Kuwait; 1996 Baghdad; 1998 Baghdad
group exhibitions: 1968 Portugal; 1969 Yugoslavia; 1970 Belgium; 1971 Argentina, 1971 Beirut; 1979 Portugal; 1979 Paris; 1980 Germany; 1986 Baghdad; 1986 Germany; 1986 Norway; Paris; 1988 Second Baghdad; 1990 Kuwait; 1990 Cyprus; 1993 Amman; 2000 Egypt; 2001 Sharjah, UAE; 2003 Tunis

In Baghdad, Kuwait, Cairo and Madrid Al Dabagh won prestigious awards.
His paintings are made in simple forms and based on his graphic experiences.

Hana Mallalaa, 1958

1958 diploma in graphic, Fine Arts Institute Baghdad
2000 MA in painting Academy Baghdad

Head of Graphic Department, Fine Arts Institute Baghdad
Lecturer Academy of Fine Arts Baghdad

solo exhibitions: 1987 Baghdad; 1991 Baghdad; 1993 Baghdad; 1994 Baghdad; 1995 Amman; 1996 Baghdad; 1998 Baghdad; 1999 Baghdad
group exhibitions: 1988; Baghdad; 1992 Tunis; 1994 Amman; 1996 Baghdad; 1997 Amman; 2000 Paris; 2000 London; 2003 London
Two times she received an award. Not only as a gifted painter but also as a draughtswoman. Like Shakir Hassan- inspired by folk art she became well-known.

Nazar Yahya, 1963, Baghdad

1986 BA, Academy of Fine Arts, Baghdad

solo exhibitions:1994 Baghdad; 2000 Amman; 2002 Qatar
group exhibitions: 1985 Norway; 1995 Baghdad; 1996 Baghdad; 1997 Baghdad; 1997 Amman; 1998 Baghdad; 1999 Baghdad, 1999 Amman; 1999 Beirut; 2000, Norway; 2000 Baghdad, 2001 Bahrein; 2002 Bangladesh; 2003 London
Obvious is his fine feeling for material, his inclination to strong, resolute forms which gives allusions to architecture and sculpture.

Kareem Risan, 1960, Baghdad

1987 BA Academy Baghdad

Head of Graphic Department, Fine Arts Institute Baghdad
Lecturer Academy of Fine Arts Baghdad

solo exhibitions: 1992 Baghdad; 1994 Baghdad; 1996 Baghdad; 1997 Amman; 1998 Baghdad
group exhibitions: 1985 Norway; 1986 Baghdad; 1988 Baghdad; 1988 Egypt; 1989 Paris; 1990 Paris; Amman; 1991 Cannes sur Mer; 1992 Tunis; 1992 Baghdad; 1996 Denmark; 1997 Denmark; 1998 Tunis; 2000 Egypt; 2000 London; 2000 Bahrain; 2003 London, 2004 Amman; 1993 USA [Nevada University]
In Baghdad, Cairo and Tunis he acquired awards.
In the use of colors his mainly abstract, imaginative pictures on board or on objects, remember of Shakir Hassan al Saïd.

Ghassan Gha’eb, 1964, Baghdad

1986 Fine Arts Institute Baghdad, diploma
1997 BA, Academy, Baghdad

2001 solo exhibition: Amman
group exhibitions: 1986 Baghdad; 1988 Baghdad; 1991 Amman; 1992 Baghdad; 1995 Baghdad; 1996 Amman; 1997 Amman; 1998 Baghdad; 1999 Beirut; 2001 Bahrain; 2002 Paris; 2002 Bangladesh; 2002 Amman
Honorable awards were given him in 1987, 1996 and 2000.

Samer Usama, 1964, Baghdad

1985, Fine Arts Institute Baghdad, diploma in Graphic Art

1992-1998 4 x solo exhibition Amman

group exhibitions: 1984 Norway; 1984, South Korea; 1986 Baghdad; 1992 Tunis; 1993 Amman; 1997 Norway; 1999 Egypt; 1999 Fifty Amman; 2000 Amman; 2001 Bahrain; 2002 Bangladesh; 2002 Amman; 2003 Dubai
In robust mostly black shapes which remember of sculptures his paintings seem to show constructions of wood.