IRAQ: Art in troubled times, II

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Despite gritty, overcrowded cities like Baghdad and Kirkuk, Iraq remains primarily an agricultural country, and even its city dwellers mostly maintain close ties to their rural past. In this painting, Iraqi artist Ahmad Nassif, drawing inspiration from 20th century Abstract Expressionism, uses earthy colors to depict the iconic image of a traditional southern Iraq farm housing unit and its surrounding environs, perhaps at twilight.

— Borzou Daragahi in Baghdad

Artist: Ahmad Nassif / Courtesy: Afnan Gallery