Mathaf opens What Lingers in the Artist’s Mind, bringing seven decades of Iraqi modernism into dialogue

Doha, Qatar witnessed the opening of "What Lingers in the Artist's Mind," a significant exhibition at Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, which presents more than seven decades of Iraqi modernism through the lens of the Baghdad Modern Art Group. This major exhibition, on view until February 6, 2027, delves into the creative and intellectual world of the artists via a diverse array of artworks, archival material, and original research.

The exhibition is organized into 17 thematic sections, exploring the intersection of Mesopotamian heritage, Islamic traditions, folklore, and international modernist ideas. It showcases how Iraqi artists drew upon multiple sources to reimagine the scope of modern Iraqi art. Spanning from the 1940s to the present day, the exhibition features works from the Baghdad Modern Art Group, highlighting the evolving membership, exhibitions, and ideas that have shaped the group's legacy.

Curated by Nada Shabout, the exhibition curator, the show invites visitors to engage with both the artworks and the gaps in the historical record, acknowledging the impact of conflict and displacement. Shabout emphasizes that the exhibition does not aim to present a complete history but rather to explore the group's ideas, relationships, and circumstances that shaped their practice.

By presenting artworks alongside sketches, photographs, archives, and these gaps, the exhibition encourages a fresh understanding of Iraqi modernism as an evolving process of discovery, interpretation, and recovery.