Jawad Saleem

Life & Legacy

Jawad Saleem (Arabic: جواد سليم, 1919–1961) was an Iraqi painter and sculptor born in Ankara, Ottoman Empire in 1919. He became an influential artist through his involvement with the Iraqi Baghdad Modern Art Group, which encouraged artists to explore techniques that combined both Arab heritage and modern art forms. He is considered to be one of Iraq's greatest 20th-century sculptors.
Saleem received his artistic training in Baghdad but studied abroad in various European countries. Being a critic of early 20th century Iraqis' taste in art, he was a founding member of the Baghdad College of Fine Arts and the founder of the Baghdad Group for Modern Art. Throughout his artistic career, Saleem was invited to various art-related events and groups. One of his most notable works is the Nasb al-Hurriyya monument, an example of 20th century Iraqi modernism and Qasim-era Iraqi revolutionary art; he died during its construction in 1961. Despite his short career, Jawad Saleem stands as the central figure of modern Iraqi art and history.