Footnotes

"These are the colours of the Bedouins, of the desert. Almost all tribes, from Morocco to the Gulf, share a preference for warm colours - reds, oranges, yellows - in contrast to Europe, where pastels are more common. Such colours stand out against the neutral tones of the desert, and, indeed, Bedouins will often surround a black tent with textiles of vibrant colours, as if replicating a garden"
- Dia Azzawi

Provenance:
Property from a private collection, London

Monumental, imposing, and fiery, the present work by Iraq's most prominent and successful living artist, Dia Azzawi, typifies the rich tonal and compositional vigour which are the central elements of his style.

Dramatic primitive forms are delineated with ochre, umber and vermilion hues, which coalesce into a tightly composed abstraction of light, form colour and natural harmony. Azzawi typically incorporates structures and visual symbolism harking back millennia, which is evident here in this artwork in the pseudo-animal form which emanates from the trunk of the abstract patchwork of colour that dominates the composition

Azzawi's abiding love and respect for the natural world shines through in this work, which echoes the formal approach and inimitable style, characteristic of the 'New Vision' school of painting he founded in 1969. Here, he foregrounded the use of bold outlines, attention to detail, and improvisational techniques.

Dia Azzawi is internationally recognized as one of the pioneers of modern Arab art. Over the span of a 40-year career, Azzawi has explored subjects ranging from the political to the ancient history of Iraq, through painting, sculpture, prints, drawings, and book art. He lives and works in London but continues to derive inspiration from his homeland, Iraq.

With exhibitions of his work held worldwide, including a landmark retrospective in 2017 at Qatar's MATHAF, his art features in the collections of some of the world's most prestigious museums and institutions. He is also regarded, in the tumultuous post-conflict climate of 2000s Iraq, considered to be the ultimate authority on modernist and contemporary art from the region.