拍品专文
Born in Baghdad in1939, Dia al-Azzawi is widely regarded as a pioneer of modern Arab art. Trained as an archaeologist at the University of Baghdad and former Director of the Iraqi Antiquities Department at the National Museum of Iraq, Al-Azzawi amassed immense knowledge of Iraq’s ancient civilisations and cultural legacies. The artefacts, sculptures, and historical relics he encountered would later become an important source of inspiration for his artistic vision, which fuses contemporary materials and techniques with elements referencing Iraq’s rich Sumerian, Assyrian and Babylonian heritage, thus bridging tradition and modernity.
Politically engaged, al-Azzawi co-founded the “New Vision” group in 1969, during a period of liberal openness in Iraq’s political landscape, which spurred social and cultural transformation. Together with notable figures like Rafa al-Nasiri, Mohammed Muhriddin, Ismail Fattah, Hachem Samarchi and Saleh al-Jumaie, the group sought to redefine art practice in Iraq and the broader Arab world as the region grappled with issues of identity amid the rise of Pan-Arabism. The group’s manifesto advocated for an art that would encompass Arab culture in all its diversity, encouraging the return to tradition as a form of inspiration whilst simultaneously exploring modern artistic expressions.
While working at the Abbasid Palace of Al Ukhaydir near Karbala, Al-Azzawi came across ancient Sumerian sculptures made of bronze. Inspired to experiment with this medium, the artist made clay figurines cast in plaster. The soft carving of the figures, use of bronze and relief-like presentation tie together to show the influence of these ancient works. However, it wasn’t until the early 2000s that Al-Azzawi started to devote more time to sculpture. Over the years, he mastered various techniques, using materials such as bronze, plaster, and wood, eventually producing large-scale pieces after being commissioned by the Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha to create two sculptures titled Wounded Soul for its 2010 opening. These works were made using a modern 3D printing technique, which Al-Azzawi later adopted for his future sculptures. The process involves first forming a model from compressed cork, then shaping it in artificial clay to create a wax mould, and finally casting it in bronze.
The present work titled Suspiro Del Moro, translated as The Sigh of the Moor, encapsulates the poignant farewell of Muhammad XII, the last Nasrid ruler of Granada. Through Dia al-Azzawi's mastery of the medium evidenced in the exceptional detail in the figures, the artist captures the momentous exile of the king as he takes a final look at his city. Suspiro Del Moro is not a mere historical representation but also a masterful repurposing of the famous Orientalist painting of the same name by Franciso Pradilla Ortiz. By reclaiming the narrative from Orientalist associations, Al-Azzawi commemorates the historical moment within an authentic Arab artistic practice, exemplifying Al-Azzawi’s broader concern with how Arab history and culture are portrayed.
Politically engaged, al-Azzawi co-founded the “New Vision” group in 1969, during a period of liberal openness in Iraq’s political landscape, which spurred social and cultural transformation. Together with notable figures like Rafa al-Nasiri, Mohammed Muhriddin, Ismail Fattah, Hachem Samarchi and Saleh al-Jumaie, the group sought to redefine art practice in Iraq and the broader Arab world as the region grappled with issues of identity amid the rise of Pan-Arabism. The group’s manifesto advocated for an art that would encompass Arab culture in all its diversity, encouraging the return to tradition as a form of inspiration whilst simultaneously exploring modern artistic expressions.
While working at the Abbasid Palace of Al Ukhaydir near Karbala, Al-Azzawi came across ancient Sumerian sculptures made of bronze. Inspired to experiment with this medium, the artist made clay figurines cast in plaster. The soft carving of the figures, use of bronze and relief-like presentation tie together to show the influence of these ancient works. However, it wasn’t until the early 2000s that Al-Azzawi started to devote more time to sculpture. Over the years, he mastered various techniques, using materials such as bronze, plaster, and wood, eventually producing large-scale pieces after being commissioned by the Arab Museum of Modern Art in Doha to create two sculptures titled Wounded Soul for its 2010 opening. These works were made using a modern 3D printing technique, which Al-Azzawi later adopted for his future sculptures. The process involves first forming a model from compressed cork, then shaping it in artificial clay to create a wax mould, and finally casting it in bronze.
The present work titled Suspiro Del Moro, translated as The Sigh of the Moor, encapsulates the poignant farewell of Muhammad XII, the last Nasrid ruler of Granada. Through Dia al-Azzawi's mastery of the medium evidenced in the exceptional detail in the figures, the artist captures the momentous exile of the king as he takes a final look at his city. Suspiro Del Moro is not a mere historical representation but also a masterful repurposing of the famous Orientalist painting of the same name by Franciso Pradilla Ortiz. By reclaiming the narrative from Orientalist associations, Al-Azzawi commemorates the historical moment within an authentic Arab artistic practice, exemplifying Al-Azzawi’s broader concern with how Arab history and culture are portrayed.