The exhibition traces how artists in mid-20th-century Baghdad reshaped modern art
Next week, The NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery opens the doors to a powerful new exhibition that revisits one of the most influential artistic movements in the Arab world.
All Manner of Experiments: Legacies of the Baghdad Modern Art Group opens on Wednesday, 11 February, inviting audiences to explore how Iraqi artists of the mid-20th century reshaped modern art from the heart of Baghdad.
Curated by renowned scholar Dr. Nada Shabout, the exhibition traces the legacy of the Baghdad Modern Art Group, founded in 1951 by pioneering artists Jewad Selim and Shakir Hassan Al Said.
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At a time of rapid global change, the group set out to create something entirely new; an art form rooted in Iraq’s deep cultural history while engaging with international modernism.
Drawing inspiration from Baghdad’s Abbasid heritage and the ancient civilizations of Mesopotamia, their work negotiated tradition and innovation in bold, experimental ways.
The opening celebrations unfold over two days, offering visitors the chance to engage deeply with the exhibition and its ideas.
On Wednesday, 11 February, the opening reception takes place from 5 to 8pm, held in the presence of the curator and exhibiting artists.
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The following day, Thursday, 12 February, continues the conversation with an exhibition tour led by Dr. Nada Shabout at 3.30pm, followed by a panel discussion at 5pm exploring the lasting influence of the Baghdad Modern Art Group on contemporary Iraqi art.
More than a historical survey, All Manner of Experiments reveals how the group’s ideas continue to echo through generations of artists today.
Painters, architects, poets, and thinkers were all part of the movement, united by a shared desire to define a distinctly Iraqi modernism; one that spoke to the present while remaining deeply connected to place, memory, and identity.
Dr. Nada Shabout brings exceptional insight to the exhibition. A leading authority on modern and contemporary Arab art, she is the founding president of the Association for Modern and Contemporary Art from the Arab World, Iran, and Turkey, as well as the founding director of the Modern Art Iraq Archive.
She is also a faculty member at NYU Abu Dhabi and Senior Investigator at al Mawrid Arab Center for the Study of Art.
On view at NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery through June 7, the exhibition offers a rare opportunity to engage with a pivotal chapter in art history; one shaped by experimentation, resilience, and the enduring power of cultural dialogue.
Whether you’re an art enthusiast or simply curious, this is an exhibition that invites reflection, conversation, and discovery.
Open from 11 February-7 June, The NYUAD Art Gallery, Saadiyat Island, Abu Dhabi. For further information, visit publicprograms.nyuad.nyu.edu
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