ISMAIL FATTAH

Ismail Fattah was born in 1934 in Basra, Iraq and passed away in 2004 in Baghdad, Iraq. He received his education in the arts at the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad, studying Painting and Sculpture under the instruction of Jewad Selim from 1952 to 1958. During this time, he earned his Diploma in Painting in 1956 and his Diploma in Sculpture in 1958. After completing his studies at the Institute of Fine Arts, Fattah continued his education in Rome, attending the Accademia di Belle Arti for sculpture and the Accademia San Giacomo for ceramics in 1964. Upon returning to Baghdad in 1965, he began teaching ceramics and later, in 1969, Sculpture at the Academy of Fine Arts until the late-1990s.

In addition to his teaching career, Fattah was also involved in various artistic organizations. He served as president of the Society of Iraqi Artists for Abstract Art from 1971 to 1978, was a member of the Baghdad Group of Modern Art, and was a founding member of the New Vision Group. He exhibited his work at the first group show for the New Vision Group in 1969. Along with Jewad Selim, Fattah is considered one of Iraq's most notable modern sculptors, although both artists were also skilled in painting. Some of Fattah's notable public commissions include:

·         The Monuments of Iraqi poets Al-Wasiti and Al-Farabi (1970-75)

·         The Lawyer's Union Façade at the Ministry of Industry (1967)

·         The Conference Palace in Baghdad (1983)

In the later years of his life, Fattah lived and worked in Qatar. When he was diagnosed with cancer, he traveled to Abu Dhabi for treatment. On July 22, 2004, his family arranged for a private plane to bring him back to Iraq. However, he passed away shortly after arriving in Baghdad.