Dia al-Azzawi was born in Baghdad, Iraq in 1939. He earned a BA in Archaeology from Baghdad University in 1962 and a BA in Fine Arts in Baghdad in 1964, and in 1969 he moved to London, where he is still based. Over more than half a century, Dia al-Azzawi’s work has been shown in countless group and solo exhibitions worldwide, especially in Europe, across the USA, and the Arab world. Azzawi is one of the pioneers of modern Arab art. Even during the oppressive years between 2003 and 2016, and amidst the region’s turbulent events, Azzawi continued to produce artworks marked by an enduring presence and artistic force. Azzawi’s practice is eclectic and wide-ranging. A trained archaeologist, his art draws from Arab cultural heritage, classical literature, marginalized figures, revolutionary movements, and current events. It oscillates between figuration and abstraction, guided by experimentation with new mediums, materials, and styles.
Azzawi’s impressive body of work comprises paintings, murals, sculptures, prints, and artist books which amalgamate an immediate visual language with poetic and political commentary.His works (especially movement paintings and limited-edition prints) address themes of grief, exile, and injustice. Azzawi’s prolific production (he has created nearly 15,000 works) has featured in myriad publications and can be found in numerous public and private collections worldwide. Azzawi’s work has been collected by public and private art institutions worldwide, including The Abdulmohsin Al-Qhatib Collection of Arab Art, London; The Arab Museum of Modern Art (Mathaf), Doha; Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah; Bibliothèque Nationale de France, Paris; British Museum, London; Darat al-Funun, Amman; Dubai Culture & Arts Authority;
Duroub Art Foundation, Abu Dhabi; Historical, Military, Fine Arts, Amiri and National Museums of Qatar; Khalid Shoman Foundation, Amman; Leila Heller Gallery, Dubai; Library of Congress, Washington D.C.; Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), Los Angeles; Lusail Museum, Doha; Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha; Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofía, Madrid; Nabu Museum, Chekka, Lebanon; Saatchi Collection, London; Saida Collection, Lisbon; Qatar Foundation, Doha; Royal Society of Fine Arts, Amman; Sursock Museum, Beirut; Tate Modern, London; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; and The World Bank, Washington D.C.
