1. Modern Art in
Iraq
Prepared by
Salam Atta Sabri
2012

2. "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"
Jewad Selim
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.

3. 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.

4. 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.
Faik Hassan Akram Shukry

5. 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.

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

7. Movements – Fine Art Group/
•The (S.P) Pioneers 1950, Faiq Hassan.
•Baghdad Group of Modern Art 1951, Jawad Saleem.
•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.

8. Culture's Cooperation
•The British Council, exhibition1950s, Iraqi artists who
had studied in UK.with Jawad Saleem, Lorna Saleem,
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 Saleem, Faiq
Hassan.
Atta Sabri

9. 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

10. Western’s influences
•IraqiArtists 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.

11. 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.

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

13. Looting Treasures
Today
734
2003 - Baghdad
Center for Arts,
was looted.
Before 2003,
Over 7,000
works.
Protection of artistic cultural heritage in the Event of Armed Conflict

14. 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.

15. Accomplishments and Initiatives
Retrieved 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.

16. Currently Development
Over 6.000 stolen artworks.
•New Project.
•Book, Emergency red list.
•Object, Connecting People and Bridging Information.
• Goal, Strategy for Targeting O rganized P 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.

17. 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.

19. Hassan Abd Alwan

20. Faraj Abou

21. Mahoud Ahmad

22. Layla Al-Attar

23. Widad Al-Awrfley

24. Dhiea Al-Azawi

25. Atta Sabri

26. Ardash Kafakyan

27. Jawad Saleem

28. Mohamed Arif

29. Jawad Selim

30. Souad Al-Attar

31. Hafidh Al Dorooby

32. Hafidh Al Dorooby

33. Ali Al Jaberi

34. Ali Al Jaberi

35. Khaled Al Jader

36. Khaled Al Jader

37. Khaled Al Jader

38. Khaled Al Jader

39. Khaled Al Jader

40. Khaled Al Jader

41. Sadie Al Kaibi

42. Rafi Al Naseri

43. Rafi Al Naseri

44. Rafi Al Naseri

45. Rafi Al Naseri

46. Rafi Al Naseri

47. Amir Al Obaidi

48. Khaled Al Rahhal

49. Khaled Al Rahhal

50. Nouri Al Rawi

51. Nouri Al Rawi

52. Miran Al Sadie

53. Miran Al Sadie

54. Idane Al Sheikhli

55. Isma’el Al Sheikhly

56. Isma’el Al Sheikhly

57. Isma’el Al Sheikhly

58. Isma’el Al Sheikhly

59. Isma’el Al Sheikhly

60. Sa’ád Al Taiee

61. Hashem Al Tawel

62. Alaa Basheer

63. Rakan Dabdoob

64. Ismail Fattah Al Turk

65. Ismail Fattah Al Turk

66. Ismail Fattah Al Turk

67. Ismail Fattah Al Turk

68. Ismail Fattah Al Turk

69. Mohamed Arif

70. Mohammed Ghani Hekmet

72. this presentation made possible by
Salam Atta Sabri
& the Middle East Studies Center
at Portland State University