Basra gallery reopens with exhibition featuring 31 Iraqi artists

BASRA – Thirty-one artists from across Iraq, including Sulaymaniyah, Mosul, Baghdad, Babil, Dhi Qar, and Wasit, gathered in Basra to showcase their work at the reopening of the Hamed Saeed gallery in Al-Abbasiya, near Al-Farahidi Street in central Basra.

The gallery, led by artist Hamed Saeed, resumed operations with a mission to revitalize the city’s artistic and cultural scene. Saeed expressed optimism about the gallery’s return, emphasizing that Basra should be recognized not only for its oil wealth but also for its cultural contributions.

“Today we celebrate the participation of 31 Iraqi artists from various provinces. We hope this space will become a vital part of the artistic movement in Basra and bring back its vibrancy,” Saeed told 964media. “Basra deserves to be known for its cultural richness, equal to its oil fields.”

The exhibition featured a variety of artworks, reflecting the diversity of Iraq’s artistic talent. Participating artist Haider Fakher highlighted the significance of such galleries in Iraq, stressing their role in promoting visual arts.

“These galleries have an elite cultural presence, adding value to Iraq’s art movement. We suffer from a clear shortage of such venues, and we hope more galleries will open,” Fakher said.

Artist Noor Al-Huda Nadhir expressed hope for future festivals and events, saying, “I also wish for more initiatives from others to expand artistic opportunities.”

Wissam Jazi, another exhibiting artist, remarked on the unique experience of showing work in Basra. “The audience and atmosphere here have their own distinct flavor. I enjoyed being part of this diverse group of talented artists, where all the works were of similar scale, representing the development of contemporary art,” he said.

Basra, known as a vital cultural hub in Iraq, has played a significant role in the country’s artistic and intellectual life. Recently, the Injaz Basra for Development and Advancement foundation announced the 2024 Al-Farahidi Prize for Writing and Authorship, aimed at fostering creativity among writers and recognizing future literary works.

Historically, Basra was a center of learning during the Islamic Golden Age and home to prominent figures such as the polymath Alhazen and the Sufi mystic Rabia al-Basri.