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Dalloul Art Foundation
NOURI AL RAWI NOURI AL RAWI

NOURI AL RAWI, Iraq (1925 - 2014)

Bio

Written by Mysa Kafil-Hussain Born in 1925 in Rawa, on Iraq's upper Euphrates, Nouri Al-Rawi was a crucial player in the formation of Baghdad's modern art scene over the course of the...

Written by Mysa Kafil-Hussain

Born in 1925 in Rawa, on Iraq's upper Euphrates, Nouri Al-Rawi was a crucial player in the formation of Baghdad's modern art scene over the course of the twentieth century. His childhood in Rawa was spent surrounded by rural, riverside village life, removed from the bustling urban scenes of the capital city. He later moved to Baghdad to enroll in the Teachers’ College, but even after he graduated in 1941, art remained his true passion. In the 1950s he decided to return to school to pursue what he loved, graduating from Baghdad’s Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad in 1959. Al-Rawi's talent was not just noticed within Iraq and the Arab world; his work also struck a chord across Europe, which led to the artist being offered two arts fellowships in the 1960s, first in Belgrade, Yugoslavia and then later in Lisbon, Portugal.

Al-Rawi, who did not want to limit himself to art practice, found time to partake in the academic side of his field. He wrote extensively as an art historian and critic, publishing dozens of books and articles focusing on Iraqi, Arab, and international art, and even established the first regular arts page in a local newspaper in 1952.  He also featured on Baghdad TV from the 1950s until the mid-1980s, presenting a range of art and culture-focused programs such as Window on Art and The World of Arts. Initiatives such as this were pivotal in generating public interest in the arts and came at a significant time in the development of modern Iraqi art. Additionally, he played a paramount role within arts collectives, societies and institutions in Iraq, becoming a founding member of the Iraqi Plastic Artists Society in 1956, and later joining the Société Primitive, the Iraqi National Committee for Plastic Art, and the Higher Committee for the Baghdad International Festival of Fine Art. He was a founding member of the Iraqi Artists Syndicate, the Director of Art Exhibitions at the Ministry of Culture and Arts, the Director of the Palace of Culture and Arts, and the President of the Association of Fine Art Critics in Iraq. He was also the President of the Iraqi Plastic Artists Society in 1982 and again in 2003. Through his participation in these organizations, he made an enormous contribution to Iraq’s artistic infrastructure, but his most significant role was arguably as founder of the National Museum of Modern Art in Baghdad in 1962. Building the museum’s reputation as well as its collection, he purchased work by pioneering Iraqi artists such as Jewad Selim and Faiq Hassan, organized groundbreaking exhibitions, and managed the institution until 1979.

Al-Rawi's artwork balanced abstraction and romanticism, mainly depicting scenes from his home country. Though he did paint urban scenes, the artist focused predominantly on the village life in which he grew up, bringing an ethereal and mystical essence to his childhood memories. His earliest piece in the Dalloul Collection, an untitled painting from 1964, shows a darker side to the artist's palette. Instantly creating a low and intense mood with dark shades of green and brown, Al-Rawi depicts a building surrounded by bleak fields, sparse trees, and a lone horse. Although this painting shows humans – something which much of his work avoids – the darkness and desolation counteract their presence, leaving the viewer with an overwhelming feeling of solitude.

Much of his other work, as displayed in his untitled paintings from 2005 and 2006 in the collection, show brighter, dreamlike scenes, incorporating his trademark architectural forms and imbuing his work with a sense of mystical wonder. In his 2005 painting, for example, he utilizes mythical or imaginary forms, appearing here in the night sky as the world sleeps. The written word plays an essential role in Al-Rawi's artwork, with both poetry and Qur’anic scripture having a prominent place in many paintings. His remaining artworks in the Dalloul Collection, one untitled, and another called 'وداعا" رواه الجميلة' (loosely translated as Goodbye, Narrated by the Beautiful) both from 2010, incorporate the Ayat al-Kursi and the poetry of Al-Hallaj respectively.

With exhibitions around the world, his work on television, and an extensive array of publications in books, magazines, and newspapers, al-Rawi tirelessly pursued his lifelong goal of educating the world, and especially Iraq, on art and art history. Nouri Al-Rawi passed away in Baghdad in 2014 at the age of 89, leaving behind a profound legacy in Iraq's – and the Arab world's – artistic history.

Sources

Abdul Kareem, Uday Fadhil. “المكان في أعمال الفنانين نوري الراوي وسعد الطائي”. Iraqi Academic Scientific Journals, No. 70 (Article). 2014. https://www.iasj.net/iasj?func=article&aId=100530

Diab, Safaa. الفنان نوري الراوي رائد المدینة في الفن العراقي المعاصر”. Al-Quds al-Arabi Newspaper (Article). 2014. http://www.alquds.co.uk/?p=167606&print=1

Jawad, Faez. نوري الراوي آخر رواد الفن التشكيلي يصارع البقاء ويخشى ضياع أعماله”. Azzaman News (Article). https://www.azzaman.com/?p=59107

Mejcher-Atassi, Sonja; Pedro, John. Archives, Museums and Collecting Practices in the Modern Arab World. Oxford/New York: Routledge, 2016.

Al-Otabi, Abdul-Jabbar. رحيل نوري الراوي.. آخر رواد الفن التشكيلي العراقي”. Elaph News (Article). 2014.https://elaph.com/Web/Culture/2014/5/903943.html

Saad al-Din, Asmaa. الفنان التشكيلي نوري الراوي”. Al-Mrsal News (Article). 2014. http://www.almrsal.com/post/147567

Nouri Al Rawi. Barjeel Art Foundation (Biography). No datehttps://www.barjeelartfoundation.org/artist/iraq/nouri-al-rawi/

Noori al-Rawi (Exhibition Catalogue). Iraqi Cultural Centre Gallery, London, UK. 1977.

Hassan, Othman. “نوري الراوي: مفاهيم الفن المعاصر لا تنسجم مع الذوق العربي.” الناقد العراقي, May 30, 2014. https://www.alnaked-aliraqi.net/article/22529.php.

Mehdi, Sami. “At the Exhibition of the Pioneers: Some Thoughts on the Work of Ismail Al-Sheikhly, Kadhim Haidar, Qahtan Al-Madfai, Nuri Al-Rawi and Suzanne Al-Sheikhly.”Modern Art Iraq Archive. Item #52.  Accessed January 13, 2020. https://artiraq.org/maia/items/show/527.

Jawad, Ayman Kamel. “رحلة الأيام مع الفنان الراحل نوري الراوي إعداد : أيمن كامل جواد (ملف/9).” الناقد العراقي, October 1, 2017. https://www.alnaked-aliraqi.net/article/46495.php.

Al Ameri, Ali. “نوري الراوي: الفنان قائد روحي يـغذّي الجمال في أرواح البشر التاريخ حوار - علي العامري (ملف/8).” الناقد العراقي, May 3, 2017. https://www.alnaked-aliraqi.net/article/41726.php.

Adel, Samah. “نوري الراوي.. رسم مدنا كالحلم من شعر وموسيقى - كتابات.” Kitabat, August 19, 2019. https://kitabat.com/cultural/نوري-الراوي-رسم-مدنا-كالحلم-من-شعر-ومو/.

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CV

Selected Solo Exhibitions

2011

Sultan Bin Ali Al Owais Auditorium, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

2010

Orfali Gallery, Amman, Jordan
Retrospective, Al Oways Cultural Foundation, Dubai, UAE

2005

Orfali Gallery, Amman, Jordan

2004

Syndicate of Fine Arts, Damascus, Syria

2001

Iraqi Creativity Museum, Baghdad, Iraq

1999

Retrospective Exhibition, Athar Gallery, Baghdad, Iraq
Acacia Hall, Manama, Bahrain

1998

Riwaq Oman Gallery & the Fine Arts Society, Muscat, Oman

1997

Hammurabi Gallery, Amman, Jordan

1996

Orfali Gallery, Amman, Jordan

1995

Espace l’Harmattan, Paris, France

1993

Ayn Gallery, Baghdad, Iraq
Baladna Gallery, Amman, Jordan

1989

National Museum of Modern Art, Baghdad, Iraq

1984

Budapest, Hungary

1983

Al-Rashid Hall, Baghdad

1978

Iraqi Cultural Centre, London, United Kingdom

Selected Group Exhibitions

2021

MEMORY SEWS TOGETHER EVENTS THAT HADN’T PREVIOUSLY MET, Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah Art Museum, UAE

2018

A Century in Flux, Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah, UAE
Revolution Generations, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, Qatar

2016

The Short Century, Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah Art Museum, UAE

2014

Sky Over The East, Barjeel Art Foundation, Emirates Palace, Abu Dhabi, UAE

2013

RE: Orient, Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah, UAE

2012

Modern Arab Masters, Grosvenor Gallery, London, UK

2000

Journey through the Contemporary Arts of the Arab World, Darat Al-Funun, Amman, Jordan

1997

Joint exhibition with Raed Al-Rawi, Charlotte, North Carolina, USA

1979

15th São Paolo Biennale, São Paolo, Brazil

1968

New Delhi Triennale, New Delhi, India

1976

Artists against Racial Discrimination Exhibition, Baghdad, Iraq

1975

Exhibition of Contemporary Iraqi Art, Poland, Sweden, Germany (touring exhibition between 1975-1977)

1971

Contemporary Iraqi Art Exhibition, Moscow, Russia

1965

The Pioneers Exhibition (المعرض الفني للرواد), National Museum of Modern Art, Baghdad, Iraq
New Delhi Triennale, New Delhi, India

1964

Contemporary Iraqi Art Exhibition, Rome, Vienna, Madrid, London, Beirut

1958

The Revolution Exhibition, Moscow, Beijing, Sofia, Belgrade

Publications

2013

Nouri Al-Rawi, Brilliant Effects on the Passing of Time (اثار لامعة على مراكض الزمن)

2011

Nouri Al-Rawi, The Anthem of Peace (نشيد السلام)

2007

Nouri Al-Rawi, The Painted Pages of Iraqi Art (أوراق ملونة من الفن العراقي)

1999

Nouri Al-Rawi, Reflections on Modern Iraqi Art (تأملات في الفن العراقي الحديث)

1998

Nouri Al-Rawi, The Museum of Truth, The Museum of Imagination
(متحف الحقيقة، متحف الخيال)

1986

Nouri Al-Rawi, Colour in Science, Art and Life (اللون في العلم والفن والحياة)

1978

Nouri Al-Rawi, “In Praise of Our New Artistic Life”, al-Tashkili al-Arabi No. 4

1976

Nouri Al-Rawi, “Faiq Hassan”, Afaq Arabiyya Magazine
(فايق حسن"مجلة بغداد - )

1975

Nouri Al-Rawi, Mun’em Furat, Naïve Sculptor (منعم فرات نحات فطري)

1972

Issa Suleiman, Nouri Al-Rawi, The Arabic School of Islamic Illumination / Features of the Baghdad School of Book Illumination (المدرسة العربية في التصوير الإسلامي / ملامح مدرسة بغداد لتصوير الكتاب)

1971

Nouri Al-Rawi, “The Iraqi Art Movement in its First Days”, al-Muthaqaf al-Arabi No. 3 ("حركة الفن العراقي في ايامها الأولى" – المثقف العربي، العدد ٣)

1968

Majid Al-Samara’I, “Nouri Al-Rawi & a Discussion on Art & Life”, Al-Amiloon fil-Naft ("نوري الراوي و نقاش حول الفن و الحياة" – العاملون قي النفط)

1967

Nouri Al-Rawi, “The Knight and the Victim..”, al-Amiloon fil-Naft No. 69, illustrated by Dia al-Azzawi (("الفارس والضحية" – العاملون في النفط، العدد ٦٩، رسوم: ضياء العزاوي

1966

Nouri Al-Rawi, Iraq in Pictures (العراق في صور)

1965

Nouri Al-Rawi, “The Features of Contemporary Iraqi Art”, Baghdad Magazine No. 12
Nouri Al-Rawi, Modern German Art (الفن الألماني الحديث)
Shakir Hassan Al Said, “Nuri Al-Rawi”, Hiwar Magazine Vol.3 No.6

1963

Nouri Al-Rawi, Jewad Selim (جواد سليم)

1962

Nouri Al-Rawi, An Introduction to Iraqi Folklore (المدخل إلى الفولكلور العراقي)
Nouri Al-Rawi, Reflections on Modern Iraqi Art (تأملات في الفن العراقي الحديث)

Awards and Honors

1993

High Order of Merit by Presidential Decree, Baghdad, Iraq

Affiliations & Memberships

2003

President of Iraqi Plastic Artists Society, Baghdad, Iraq

1998

President of Association for Fine Art Critics, Baghdad, Iraq 

1986

Member of Higher Committee, Baghdad International Festival of Fine Art, Baghdad, Iraq

1982

President of Iraqi Plastic Artists Society (until 1983), Baghdad, Iraq

1973

Member of Iraqi National Committee for Plastic Arts (member until 1978), Baghdad, Iraq

1972

Founding Member of Iraqi Artists Syndicate, Baghdad, Iraq

1964

Fellow of The Pioneers group (al-Ruwad / S.P., member until 1979), Baghdad, Iraq

1956

Founding Member of Iraqi Plastic Artists Society, Baghdad, Iraq

1952

Contributor to newspaper Time, News and Voice of The Free (established in 1952, Al-Rawi supervised the arts page)

Collections

Ramzi and Saeda Dalloul Art Foundation, Beirut, Lebanon
Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah, UAE
Ibrahimi collection, Amman, Jordan
Jordan National Gallery of Fine Art, Amman, Jordan
Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, Qatar
National Museum of Modern Art of Iraq (NMMAI), Bagdad, Iraq

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Documents
نوري الراوي و نقاش حول الفن و الحياة
ماجد السامرائي
العاملون في النفط/ MAIA Archives, Arabic, 1968
المتحف الوطني للفن الحديث من 1968 الى 1978
المتحف الوطني للفن الحديث، بغداد
MAIA Archives, English/Arabic, 1978

دليل المعرض

معرض للوحات و تماثيل ضياء العزاوي عام 1967
صالة عرض جمعية الفنانين العراقيين. شارع دمشق، بغداد
MAIA Archives, Arabic, 1967
الرواد
عبد الرحيم العزاوي
الأدب، الجزء 14 رقم 4/ MAIA Archive, Arabic, 1966
نوري الراوي في صالة عرض المركز الثقافي العراقي 1977 - 1978
مع نص كتابي لجبرا إبراهيم جبرا
صالة عرض المركز الثقافي العراقي في لندن, Arabic, 1977
At the Exhibition of the Pioneers: some thoughts on the work of Ismail Al-Sheikhly, Kadhim Haidar, Qahtan al-Madfai, Nuri Al-Rawi and Suzanne Al-Sheikhly
Sami Mehdi
Baghdad No 19/MAIA Archives, Arabic, 1965
المكان في أعمال الفنانين نوري الراوي وسعد الطائي
Oday Fadhil Abdulkareem
University of Baghdad, Arabic/English, 2014

Abstract

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Press
نوري الراوي آخر رواد الفن التشكيلي يصارع البقاء ويخشى ضياع أعماله
فائز جواد
azzaman.com, Arabic, 2014
رحيل نوري الراوي.. آخر رواد الفن التشكيلي العراقي
عبد الجبار العتابي
elaph.com, Arabic, 2014
الفنان نوري الراوي رائد المدينة في الفن العراقي المعاصر
alquds.co.uk, Arabic, 2014
وفاة آخر رواد الفن التشكيلي العراقي نوري الراوي
alhayat.com, Arabic, 2014
الفنان التشكيلي نوري الراوي
اسماء سعد الدين
almrsal.com, Arabic, 2015
نوري الراوي: الفنان قائد روحي يـغذّي الجمال في أرواح البشر
علي العامري
emaratlyoum.com, Arabic, 2011
كلمة الفنان الأستاذ نوري الراوي عن الفنانين العراقيين في ذكرى رحيل المبدع الكبير “جواد سليم”(ملف/46)
alnaked-aliraqi.net, Arabic, 2019
نوري الراوي: مفاهيم الفن المعاصر لا تنسجم مع الذوق العربي
عثمان حسن
alnaked-aliraqi.net, Arabic, 2014
رحلة الأيام مع الفنان الراحل نوري الراوي إعداد : أيمن كامل جواد (ملف/9)
أيمن كامل جواد
alnaked-aliraqi.net, Arabic, 2017
نوري الراوي.. رسم مدنا كالحلم من شعر وموسيقى - كتابات
سماح عادل
kitabat.com, Arabic, 2019
العراقي نوري الراوي يخشى ضياع أعماله الفنية ويدعو اليونيسكو لحفظها
معد فياض
archive.aawsat.com, Arabic, 2009
نوري الرَّاوي.. ومحنة الإرث الفني التَّشكيلي العراقي!
رشيد الخيّون
arb.majalla.com, Arabic, 2013
وفاة الفنان الكبير نوري الراوي
iraqiwomensleague.com, Arabic, 2014
نوري الراوي… يتشبث بالرسم لمدن الفرات الغريقة
جمال العتّابي
hounaloubnan.com, Arabic
نوري الراوي.. عصي على النسيان!
زيد الحلّي
alsabaah.iq, Arabic, 2020
نوري الراوي الذي فتح شناشيل العراق على الفن
فاروق يوسف
alarab.co.uk, Arabic, 2014
المكان في أعمال الفنانين نوري الراوي و سعد الطائي : دراسة مقارنة
عدي فاضل عبد الكريم
search.emarefa.net, Arabic, 2014
العويس الثقافية» تحتفي بالتشكيلي نوري الراوي»
alittihad.ae, Arabic, 2010
معرض وندوة عن نوري الراوي في مؤسسة العويس الثقافية
albayan.ae, Arabic, 2010
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