The image of the city in contemporary Iraqi painting

The image of the city and its diversity has had a significant presence in the achievements of contemporary Iraqi artists, as it encompasses a wide range of concepts. The city, as a living entity, embodies both the individual and the collective experience, making it a flexible and rich subject that artists have chosen to convey their varied messages. Through visual documentation, artists have expressed their visions, ideas, and inner thoughts by portraying the city's stories and images in diverse visual forms.
This study explores the image of the city as reflected in the works of contemporary Iraqi plastic artists. It begins with the methodological framework, which outlines the research problem, significance, objectives, and scope, followed by the definition of key terms.
The theoretical framework includes two main topics: the first chapter discusses "The Diversity of the City’s Image in Iraqi Painting", where the researchers examine the major types of urban imagery documented by Iraqi painters. The second chapter addresses "The References That Shaped the City’s Image in Iraqi Painting", analyzing the key influences and sources that contributed to the multiplicity of urban representations. The research also presents the applied procedures, including the study population, sample, research tools, and methodology, leading to the analysis of selected artworks, followed by results and conclusions. Among the findings: The city images in some Iraqi painters’ experiences were depicted with striking realism, aiming to preserve these images in the memory of viewers in case they change over time. The Iraqi artist has allocated a considerable space to such imagery in his artistic journey. Iraqi painters often recalled images of their cities from memory, which played a central role in shaping their visual narratives. These recollections extended across Iraqi, Arab, and even foreign cities, while maintaining their emotional and symbolic significance.