The heritage environment in Sahib Ahmed’s drawings: Analytical study

Abstract

The features of the heritage environment in contemporary Iraqi art are distinct from those in other art forms worldwide, as they constitute a uniquely Iraqi theme. This theme is not limited to contemporary Iraqi artworks; rather, it has played an active role as a driving force in contemporary Iraqi art, with many Iraqi artists incorporating elements of the environment into their works. They use heritage elements and traditional forms in a simplified or reduced manner to create a modern artistic language. The research included four chapters: The first chapter included the research problem, its objective and limits, leading up to the definition of terms. As for the second chapter, it was represented by the theoretical framework of the research, and it consisted of two sections, the first - the concept of the heritage environment (its cultural, symbolic and visual dimensions), while the second section contained representations of the heritage environment in Iraqi painting, and the third was entitled (Places and the artistic incubator in the works of Sahib Ahmed), in addition to what resulted from the indicators of the theoretical framework. Chapter Three contained the research community, which included (28) artworks that the researcher was able to obtain. Its sample of (5) paintings was intentionally chosen as they fulfilled the research objective. Chapter Four contained the results, including: The heritage environment had an active presence in the artist's works through the subject matter, and most of the paintings blended realism and symbolism, with the appearance of elements of architecture, banners, processions, and popular features with a color treatment that gives a sense of spirituality and collective consciousness, based on the vocabulary of the heritage house. One of the most important conclusions is that the artist was able to faithfully recall his early surroundings by evoking the winding alleyways, balconies, domes, and minarets as influences that shaped his early consciousness and remained present in most of his works.