Iyad Almosawi: Art as a Vision that Preserves and Questions Cultural Identity - Dunya Sahib

Iyad Almosawi: Art as a Vision that Preserves and Questions Cultural Identity

Interview by: Dunya Sahib – Iraq

Iyad Almosawi is an Iraqi visual artist whose creative journey unfolds like destiny etched onto the canvas of time. Through color, he speaks a philosophical language that interrogates existence. His brush is more than a tool — it is a passport into the depths of the self and the world, shaping an abstract and expressive visual language that transcends appearances and ventures into metaphysical realms.

From exile, he painted memory in vibrant hues; from longing, he created artworks pulsing with the beauty of his Baghdadi heritage — seen through eyes that perceive beyond the walls and alleys of Baghdad along the banks of the Tigris.

“His nostalgia lives in the details of traditional houses, chants in the call to prayer from mosque minarets, and glows in the lanterns that stay awake with him through the night.”

Born in Baghdad and now residing in Canada, Almosawi graduated from Concordia University in Montreal, receiving prestigious awards such as the Rousseau and Fermet Scholarships. He pursued postgraduate studies at the Banff Centre for Arts in Alberta. His migration was not merely geographical — it was an artistic transformation that merged Eastern ornamentation with Western analysis, culminating in his own visual methodology: “compound colors.”

Almosawi’s work is distinguished by its synthesis of Sufi symbolism and geometric composition. His murals incorporate diverse materials — steel, copper, leather, wood, marble, and mosaic — combining tradition with contemporary sensibility. The result: three-dimensional works rich with symbolism and heritage that resonate across cultures. Many of his public artworks now stand as cultural landmarks throughout the Arab world and beyond.

He opens the door to inquiry, reconstructs meaning through light and shadow, and fuses line, color, and inner beauty into a holistic aesthetic.

In his exhibition “Contradiction 24,” he captured the duality within the human soul, portraying double-faced figures adrift in the conspiracies of the modern age. In “Existential Challenges,” he posed profound questions of being and anxiety, turning the canvas into a contemplative dialogue between the artist and the viewer’s soul.

With over 27 solo exhibitions worldwide and participation in numerous group shows in cities like Montreal, Ottawa, Banff, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Rabat, and Baghdad, his work is held in major collections such as Mercedes-Benz and Art Bank – Ottawa, as well as private collections across the globe.

In this conversation, Almosawi reflects on his Sufi legacy, his distinctive materials, and the role of memory in transforming each painting into a homeland for human emotion.

** How would you define yourself and your artistic journey spanning four decades? Can you walk us through the key phases of your stylistic evolution?

I see myself as a visual artist seeking to translate personal and collective human experience into deep aesthetic and philosophical form. These forty years are not just a record of exhibitions and paintings — they are a journey across time, place, and spirit. I have traversed many cultures, from the soulful banks of the Arab world to the expansive landscapes of Canada. Each place has left its imprint on my soul and my artistic language.

My evolution unfolded in distinct phases: beginning with realism and impressionism, I moved into expressionism and abstraction, and eventually arrived at a synthesis of symbolism, visual Sufism, and contemporary expression. Womanhood, nature, and personal experience have played essential roles. Each stage of life has added a new “layer of color” to my artistic canvas. My roots in a family steeped in literature, poetry, and fine arts, along with visual influences from Iraqi heritage, Islamic architecture, and Mesopotamian civilization, continue to shape my work.

** You’ve said that “contradiction exists within every human being.” How do you express this in your work? Can art be a means to achieve inner peace?

Contradiction is the essence of human nature — not a flaw, but a necessity that awakens consciousness. We are constantly torn between emotion and logic, reality and dream, war and peace. I express this tension visually — through opposing lines, contrasting colors, and conflicting forms. Some paintings scream, others meditate.

Like music, art is one of the purest ways to reconcile with the self. It can refine the spirit and offer a path toward inner peace in an increasingly chaotic world.

** In your recent exhibition “Contradiction 24” in Rabat, you used charcoal and black tones to reflect modern burdens. What is the aesthetic and philosophical significance of that choice?

Charcoal is primal — among the earliest tools used by humans to mark cave walls — yet it carries profound philosophical weight in its simplicity. I chose it because it evokes origin, ashes, rebirth — the shadow that surrounds and inhabits us.

Charcoal challenges the artist’s visual honesty. It communicates density and depth that vivid colors sometimes cannot. In Contradiction 24, black symbolized the inner self — mystery, heaviness, burden — and at the same time, it held the power to shape and contain light.

** During your residency near the Banff Centre in Canada, you painted mesmerizing landscapes. How did that experience shape your art?

The Canadian landscape acted as a spiritual mirror. The white silence of the snow and the vastness of the mountains redefined my understanding of space and color. That period continues to echo in my work.

Space became an active element in my compositions. Light emerged as a central theme. Banff taught me that beauty doesn’t require complexity — sometimes, simplicity speaks the deepest truths.

** How do you reflect Iraqi and Arab-Islamic identity in your work? Do you view this as documentation or as a visionary act?

Identity is not a costume — it’s an inner essence that naturally surfaces when the artistic process is sincere. I don’t consciously insert identity into my work — it arises organically from my cultural and visual memory: Arabic calligraphy, Islamic ornamentation, the colors of the desert.

Art does more than preserve identity — it challenges, reshapes, and reimagines it. It transforms identity into a human value capable of dialogue and renewal.

** How did studying Western art history in Canada affect your view of contemporary art? How do you balance Eastern spirituality with Western thought?

Studying Western art history gave me analytical tools and broadened my visual vocabulary. But it didn’t dilute my roots — it sharpened my awareness of the uniqueness of my Eastern spiritual tradition.

Art doesn’t distinguish between East and West. It is one language, spoken in many dialects. I aim to merge the contemplative transparency of the East with the analytical depth of the West — creating a holistic, human visual experience.

** Your work often balances warm and cool colors. What is your aesthetic philosophy behind this? What do colors symbolize in your visual language?

Colors are energy — not decoration. Warm colors convey life, passion, and warmth; cool tones suggest intellect, calm, and reflection. Balancing them expresses the complexity of human emotion.

Nature is my first color teacher. I draw from its palettes to reflect emotional states and inner weather — each color an echo of the moment’s pulse.

** Some of your paintings lean toward abstract expressionism, others toward Sufi symbolism. Is this intentional or a reflection of internal shifts?

This diversity is not preplanned. It’s a sincere reflection of my inner state. Sometimes the painting is impulsive, other times contemplative. Sometimes it screams, sometimes it whispers.

I don’t impose a form — I allow the work to grow naturally, like a plant. This fluidity between abstraction, symbolism, and Sufi thought mirrors my own psychological and spiritual evolution.

** In your view, does artificial intelligence threaten the essence of creativity in art? Or can it support the artistic process?

AI is a fascinating tool — but it is still just that: a tool. It lacks soul, and therefore cannot replace art’s essence.

True art is born of the human impulse — of memory, emotion, contradiction, and existential depth. While AI may assist in technical or research processes, it cannot replicate the warmth and complexity of human experience.

** Have you published any books or studies that explore the philosophical underpinnings of your art?

Yes, I have written several studies and books, published in cultural journals and academic periodicals. These writings explore my artistic philosophy, aesthetics, questions of identity, and the relationship between art and existence. I believe that art is not fully realized until it is also articulated — writing gives depth and permanence to the vision.