Dia Al Azzawi - Meem Gallery, Dubai - August 2009
From postcolonialism to new internationalism, theorists continue to define our times in terms of sequentiality or polarity when compared to the past. In the interim period, we carry on living in these moments comprised of social dislocation, cultural hybridity and migration. As an Iraqi artist that has lived in exile in London for the past 30 years, Dia Al Azzawi has been a vital contributor to, and an active translator of, these continuing times. Over the past five decades he has been concerned with reform, revolution and the development of a new visual culture.
Azzawi’s background in archaeology meant that he initially did this by combining references from ancient Mesopotamian civilizations with contemporary occidental practice. However, even in his early days in the ‘New Vision Group’ in Iraq from 1969-72, he was conscious of transcending a local style for one that was representative of the entire Arab world.
His latest body of work, mainly from 2007 to 2008 displayed at Meem Gallery, seems to have moved away from these pan-Arab concerns toward the development of a purely ‘Azzawian’ aesthetic. Unlike earlier paintings containing script, symbolic imagery or arabesque patterns, this series seemed to be of unapologetic abstractions, representative of only themselves. Less concerned with subject matter, works such as ‘3899’ appeared to primarily explore relationships between constructed planes and tones.
In this way, I felt this series of Azzawi’s work was more akin to Matisse’s compositions, rather than Picasso’s who he is so often likened too, his primary concern being with form and spatial qualities. In ‘3885’ the incised outlines of abstracted figures combined with their chromatic brilliance were also reminiscent of Fauvist paintings.
Of course one can also find this type of dramatic primary colour in folk art, which Azzawi’s imagery has previously been associated with. ‘3883’ with textiles retained this decorative element and was the only work with an additional textural quality. However, moving beyond its visual reality, the piece also exuded an aura of new found confidence and harmony.
It seemed the energy and vigour of Azzawi’s previous works, caught up in pioneering the Iraqi modernist movement and progressively breaking with tradition, had moved into a state of serenity. This latest series is of individualistic concern, where the artist’s visual language has been mastered to the point of reflex. As such there appears to have been a liberal outpouring of works, perhaps moving towards a more balanced, pure painting.
As the artist’s career has included working with graphics, painting, sculpture, prints and book art one expected at least a few of these genres to be on display as part of this exhibition. Meem Gallery did not disappoint, as there were a number of sculptures and design chairs interstitially placed between the paintings.
With such a formidable display of work from such a recent time frame it was inevitable that some pieces stood out as stronger than others. More significant than this was the overall understanding that one came away with - that of Azzawi’s overwhelming and long-lasting contribution to painting and arts in the Middle-East.
Over the years Azzawi has been described as many things, ‘prolific,’ ‘transgressive,’ ‘cross-cultural’ and ‘one of the greatest Arab artists working today.’ For me, Dia Al Azzawi is not only an erudite modernist but also a remarkable humanist. It appears that he has now moved into a space that is ‘beyond’ - beyond revolution, beyond narrative, beyond era, where he only paints for himself and for the welfare of his viewers.
