Iraqi artist diaa al-azzawi exhibits Mesopotamian heritage in New York

Iraqi visual artist Diaa Al-Azzawi opened his first solo exhibition in New York City at the Richard Salton Gallery.

The exhibition, titled "Let Me Tell You a Story to Dispel the Night of Wakefulness," explores the connection between imagery, words, and folk tales inspired by the stories of Scheherazade from "One Thousand and One Nights." The collection features a mix of painting, sculpture, and art prints that reflect Al-Azzawi's decades of experience.

It includes rare art prints from 1986 and works inspired by Assyrian sculptures, Islamic manuscripts, and the cultural heritage of Mesopotamia. One gallery space serves as an art library where visitors can browse publications and listen to poetry readings related to the artist's work. Al-Azzawi studied archaeology and civilizations at the University of Baghdad. His work incorporates elements from Sumerian and Abbasid periods, as well as Iraqi folk heritage and crafts like carpet making.

He was part of a generation of experimental artists who sought to bring modernity and contemporary styles to Iraqi art by blending traditional influences with global artistic movements.