Dia Azzawi
An Iraqi Modern art pioneer, Dia Azzawi is renowned for his colourfully rendered abstract paintings comprised of fragmented monochrome forms. Drawing on the visual culture of Mesopotamia, the martyrdom of Hussein, Arabic literature and poetry, and contemporary political issues, Azzawi’s use of various media–painting, drawing, sculpture, dafatir (book art), and tapestry–can be linked thematically.
Through his involvement with the New Vision Group Azzawi found inspiration in contemporary subjects and issues, particularly the plight of Palestinians. His shift from themes of antiquity and legend to that of pain, death, and conflict altered his stylistic approach to painting significantly. These works lacked the vivid colour and ornamentation of earlier images and, instead, utilized bold outlines, attention to detail, and improvisational techniques.
Azzawi has had solo exhibitions at institutions such as Tate Modern in London, Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, Baghdad’s Museum of Modern Art, and National Council for Art and Culture Gallery in Kuwait . His work has been included in group exhibitions at the British Museum in London, Museu Picasso in Barcelona, Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, Houston’s Museum of Contemporary Art, Barbican Centre in London, and the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, among many other …
An Iraqi Modern art pioneer, Dia Azzawi is renowned for his colourfully rendered abstract paintings comprised of fragmented monochrome forms. Drawing on the visual culture of Mesopotamia, the martyrdom of Hussein, Arabic literature and poetry, and contemporary political issues, Azzawi’s use of various media–painting, drawing, sculpture, dafatir (book art), and tapestry–can be linked thematically.
Through his involvement with the New Vision Group Azzawi found inspiration in contemporary subjects and issues, particularly the plight of Palestinians. His shift from themes of antiquity and legend to that of pain, death, and conflict altered his stylistic approach to painting significantly. These works lacked the vivid colour and ornamentation of earlier images and, instead, utilized bold outlines, attention to detail, and improvisational techniques.
Azzawi has had solo exhibitions at institutions such as Tate Modern in London, Institut du Monde Arabe in Paris, Baghdad’s Museum of Modern Art, and National Council for Art and Culture Gallery in Kuwait . His work has been included in group exhibitions at the British Museum in London, Museu Picasso in Barcelona, Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha, Houston’s Museum of Contemporary Art, Barbican Centre in London, and the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Seoul, among many other venues.
Courtesy of Meem Gallery
Museum of Modern Art, Baghdad, Iraq
Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, Qatar
Museum of Modern Art, Damascus, Syria
Museum of Modern Art, Tunis, Tunisia
Museum of Modern Art, Amman, Jordan
British Museum, London, UK
Victoria and Albert Museum, London, UK
Tate Modern, London, UK
Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris, France
Bibliothéque Nationale de France, Paris, France
Meem Gallery, Dubai, UAE
