Naziha Salim, one of Iraq’s most influential modern artists, is remembered for paintings that captured the lives of women and families through vivid colours and traditional brushwork.
Her work focused particularly on rural Iraqi women and reflected social changes taking place in the country. In 2020, she was recognised among the leading figures of Iraq’s modern art movement, and on April 23, 2022, Google honoured her with a special Doodle.
The tribute coincided with her inclusion in a collection of female artists featured by the Barjeel Art Foundation on April 23, 2020.
Early life and family
Naziha Salim was born in 1927 in Istanbul, Turkey, to an Iraqi family known for its artistic traditions.
Her father, Hajji Mohammed Salim, was a painter, while her mother was skilled in embroidery.
She grew up alongside three brothers who also pursued art. Among them was Jawad Salim, who later became one of Iraq’s most prominent sculptors.
Surrounded by creativity from an early age, Salim developed a passion for painting.
Education and training
Salim studied at the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad, where her talent earned her a scholarship.
She became the first woman to receive such support and went on to study at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris.
After returning to Iraq, she joined the Baghdad Fine Arts Institute as a teacher and remained there until retiring in the 1980s.
She also played an active role in Iraq’s art scene and was among the founders of Al-Ruwwad, a group that sought to combine European artistic influences with Iraqi traditions.
Artistic style and themes
Salim’s paintings often explored the experiences of women and families.
Her subjects included:
- Rural Iraqi women
- Working women
- Peasant women
- Members of her own family
- Mesopotamian and Arab goddesses
Through these works, she documented aspects of Iraqi society and changing social roles.
She also took part in experimental art movements that sought new forms of expression.
Notable works
Some of her best-known paintings include:
- Dancers
- One Night’s Dream (1978)
- The Martyr’s Wife
Her work is housed in institutions and collections including:
- Sharjah Art Museum
- Modern Art Iraqi Archive
- Barjeel Collection
She also authored “Iraq: Contemporary Art,” a work regarded as an important resource on the development of Iraq’s modern art movement.
Achievements
During her career, Salim made several notable contributions:
- Became one of Iraq’s leading painters.
- Received a scholarship to study in Paris.
- Taught generations of artists at the Baghdad Fine Arts Institute.
- Helped establish the Al-Ruwwad group.
- Produced works centred on Iraqi women and families.
- Gained international recognition, with paintings held in major collections.
Legacy
Naziha Salim died in Baghdad on February 15, 2008, at the age of 80.
Her paintings continue to be exhibited and studied, and she is widely regarded as one of the pioneers of modern Iraqi art.
Through her work, Salim left a lasting record of Iraqi culture and women’s experiences, inspiring artists long after her death.
TL;DR
Naziha Salim, born in 1927, was one of Iraq’s foremost modern painters. Known for portraying women and family life, she studied in Baghdad and Paris, taught at the Baghdad Fine Arts Institute and helped shape Iraq’s modern art movement. She died in 2008.
AI summary
- Naziha Salim was born in Istanbul in 1927 and belonged to a family of Iraqi artists.
- She studied in Baghdad and Paris and later taught at the Baghdad Fine Arts Institute.
- Her paintings focused on women, families and Iraqi society.
- She co-founded the Al-Ruwwad art group.
- Google honoured her with a Doodle in April 2022.
