Mohamed Al -Shammer y - I raq
Nationality
: Iraqi.
Date of Birth
: 1962.
The Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) has said: A faithful will not make any journey except to the three mosques: The holy mosque in Makkah, this mosque of mine and the Al-Aqsa Mosque. In the light of this Hadith, I thought about the idea for my paintings of the sacred places. I found it difficult in the beginning as I was overwhelmed with a feeling of reverence that was mixed with fear. How can I express the reverence toward our sacred places. I tried to present my feelings through direct and symbolic expressions at the same time. The black cover of the Holy Kaaba was close to my mind as it is embroidered with Qur’anic verses and golden threads. The first painting was based on this idea. The second painting was on Al-Aqsa Mosque, the first qibla of Muslims before they were ordered by God to turn toward the Haram Mosque in Makkah during prayer. The golden dome in the center of the blue sky was the theme on which I basedmy painting. I believed strongly that nobody should show any negligence in the protection of Al-Aqsa and liberate the mosque from those who occupied it in order to become one of the three holy mosques toward which the faithful can make their journeys.The third portrait was on the Prophet’s Mosque. I prepared the portrait inspired by the mosque’s minarets with a crescent on top of it; its tall minarets embrace the sky. Gold, blue and black are colors that match our sacred places.
: • Member of the International Association of Plastic Artists. • Member of the Iraqi Art Association. • Member of the Iraqi Plastic Art Society. : • Personal exhibition at the French Cultural Center, 1998. • Personal exhibition at Albalgat open gallery, 1998. • Personal exhibition in Dar Alanda Gallery, Oman, 2004. • Modern Iraqi art exhibition, Baghdad, 1990. • Sculpture works at Hanover Gallery, Germany, 2000. • Benali Sharjah, 2001. • “Scenes From Iraq: Before, After and Now,”Deluxe Gallery, London, 2003. • Benali Cairo International, 2003. : • 2nd prize from the Spanish Cultural Center, 2002. • Prize of the Arab Pioneers Festival, Cairo, 2003.
Work Experience
Exhibitions
Awards
74
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