Jaber Alwan’s work addresses the human condition, conflicts in his homeland and icons of Iraqi culture such as the late Dia Majeed, and the 20th-century poet, Muhammad Mahdi al-Jawahiri. Typical of the artist’s penetrating dark palette and surreal colors, “Untitled” displays the artist’s characteristic thick, almost sculptural, brushwork that accentuates the drama of the scene. The black silhouetted figure, possibly a self portrait of the artist, is in contrast with the colorful canvas he is painting.

A socially and politically committed artist, Dia al Azzawi’s work is nourished by popular culture and folkloric mythologies, contemporary wars and the violence embedded in the history of Iraq. Halfway between fig­u­ra­tive and abstract, his work is at the same time ref­er­en­tial and dec­o­ra­tive, expres­sive and open, as is seen in “From Akka (Palestine) death came to Tal el Zaatar” (Lebanon). This work is part of a series that memorializes a massacre of Palestinians that was published in “Illustrated poems for Tel el Zaatar” with text by Moroccan writer, Tahar Ben Jelloun.

Jaber Alwan’s work addresses the human condition, conflicts in his homeland and icons of Iraqi culture such as the late Dia Majeed, and the 20th-century poet, Muhammad Mahdi al-Jawahiri. Typical of the artist’s penetrating dark palette and surreal colors, “Untitled” displays the artist’s characteristic thick, almost sculptural, brushwork which accentuates the drama of the figure inside the interior scene. The features on the face have a neutral expression, with the color symbolism, body motion and other elements inferring the work’s intent.

Iraqi artist, architect and academic Maath Alousi paints dark and expressionist works with broad brushstrokes like in “Untitled.” This work of an almost obscured face, with blurred outlines has a bright red circular mouth as a focal point, popping through the dark wash of layers.    

Using symbols interspersed with bright colors, Fakhir Mohammed paints beautifully harmonic pieces that have an almost audible rhythm. In “Untitled”, patterns and shapes seem to move energetically around the canvas while highlights of color pop-out from corner to corner.

Using symbols interspersed with bright colors, Fakhir Mohammed paints beautifully harmonic pieces that have an almost audible rhythm.  In “Untitled”, patterns and shapes seem to move energetically around the canvas while highlights of color pop-out from corner to corner.