Salam Djaaz: 12 Iraqi dreams
Salam Djaaz: 12 Iraqi dreams
A new exhibition of the artist's paintings in Amsterdam is a study in exile - the fate of many Iraqis.
2 min read
Djaaz's "Man in the city" [al-Araby]
Iraqi artist Salam Djaaz is showcasing 12 paintings in a solo exhibition at the (UAF) in Amsterdam, which continues until the end of this month.
Djaaz moved to the Netherlands in 1999 and studied at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. His paintings rely on expressiveness and symbolism. "Man in the city" invokes collective Iraqi memory, placing it in the context of Dutch life.
Recreating his observations of modern cities in symbolically rich visual creations, he presents humans in a strikingly rigid way occupying a domain full of colour.
They depict a deeply Iraqi characteristic, and feature a density of colour indicating both presence and absence, permanence and transience - the duality of home and exile that is the Iraqi fate.
This duality itself transforms into a eulogy for the living and the dead, as the tragic consequences of wars in Iraq have left the living regretting their owns fates, and well as those of the dead.
Exile is a prominent feature of the works displayed, represented by a complex colour bloc against a simple backdrop. Clashing colours represent the exile's dreams, aspirations and memories, as a statement of discontent with their fate.
This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.
Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the original author, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of al-Araby al-Jadeed, its editorial board or staff.
Djaaz moved to the Netherlands in 1999 and studied at the Royal Academy of Art in The Hague. His paintings rely on expressiveness and symbolism. "Man in the city" invokes collective Iraqi memory, placing it in the context of Dutch life.
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Exile is a prominent feature of the works displayed. |
They depict a deeply Iraqi characteristic, and feature a density of colour indicating both presence and absence, permanence and transience - the duality of home and exile that is the Iraqi fate.
This duality itself transforms into a eulogy for the living and the dead, as the tragic consequences of wars in Iraq have left the living regretting their owns fates, and well as those of the dead.
Exile is a prominent feature of the works displayed, represented by a complex colour bloc against a simple backdrop. Clashing colours represent the exile's dreams, aspirations and memories, as a statement of discontent with their fate.
This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.
Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the original author, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of al-Araby al-Jadeed, its editorial board or staff.
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