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100 women artists were celebrated in Baghdad exhibit | ||
| 23/04/2014 | ||
The display was a cross section of Iraqi ingenuity, said association head Qassim al-Sebti. He remarked, "The works of Iraqi female artists show that they are keeping pace with global trends as their exhibit reflected different artistic styles, such as abstraction, impressionism, realism and symbolic realism." Organizing the exhibit was an important challenge for the Iraqi women artists, who bear more responsibilities than men particularly under the present social conditions in Iraq, he said. He also added, "The home relies heavily on women, and all the women artists participating in the exhibit have home and family responsibilities and despite of that spite of that, 100 artists took part in the exhibit." He said one of the artists taking part in the exhibit for the first time is older than 60. He told, "Her family would not let her take part in previous exhibits but her resolve to participate prevailed 40 years after she had graduated from the Faculty of Arts." Participant Basma Taleb said that her colleagues have made considerable progress and employed new themes and styles in spite of trying social circumstances. She praised younger participants, saying some of their works nearly matched the levels of the well-established older Iraqi artists despite their lack of experience. Artist Wafaa al-Azzawi said the exhibit shows a defiance of terrorism. "Iraqi women are trying to surpass the constraints to their abilities, and so the exhibit came as a challenge to terrorism which is trying to obstruct the progress of art and beauty," she said. The exhibit does not preclude a joint exhibit honoring both male and female artists, al-Azzawi said; rather, it is an attempt to focus on the role of women through women's eyes. Artist Nibras Hashem said that that she opposes the idea of exhibits organized solely for women artists, but that the exhibit was nevertheless a good opportunity to meet many women artists and to strengthen relationships with them and familiarise herself with the experiences of other women. "The circumstances surrounding women make it difficult for them to establish ties with other women artists, and therefore such exhibits provide a chance for them to connect," she said. "For that reason I wish such exhibits would continue." Artist Mona Marai said the Iraqi Plastic Arts Association has a good reputation for choosing mature works to display at its exhibits. The annual exhibition is "an artistic, cultural gathering which signals the presence of a group of young female artists who seek improvement, and to encourage others to come out of their dormancy and take part in the process of uplifting the state of Iraqi arts", she said. | ||
Last Update:: 23/04/2014 | ||
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