As an outgrowth of Meem Gallery's Art in Iraq Today exhibition series (2010-11), curated by Dia Al-
azzawi and Charles Pocock, this publication brings together a group of Iraqi artists with varying working methodologies,
whom are united in their experience of exile.
Having spent their formative years as artists in Iraq, this book documents their continuing contribution to Iraq art and highlights its importance in contemporary Middle Eastern art history. The Publication is dedicated to the memory of art critic Jabra Ibrahim Jabra and his seminal essay titled "Art in Iraq
To-day. "
Although the artists examined here are now part of the Iraqi diaspora, their work demonstrates the enduring talent of two generations of artists whose work represents Iraqi art today.
"Part IV includes the work of two artists who represent a number of ideas related to the practices prevalent during the 1970s.
Rafa Al-Nasiri's work reflects his interest in the abstract world of Arabic letters. As a student in China, his training was perhaps more conservative, which helped him learn the traditional techniques of
printing on wood. His approach, however, becomes more innovative after studying engraving in Lisbon, where he produced a body of work that departs from what he created during the earlier stages of his art education. From the beginning of the 1970s, Al-Nasiri experimented with combining painting with printmaking; a dialogue he continues to explore today."
Introduction by
Dia Al-Azzawi