The following is a list of important artists, including visual arts, poets and musicians, who were born in Iraq, active in Iraq or whose body of work is primarily concerned with Iraqi themes or subject matter.
Note: This article uses Arabic naming customs: the name "al" (which means 'from a certain place') or "ibn" or "ben" (which means 'son of') are not used for alphabetical indexing. Artists are listed alphabetically by their paternal family name. For example, the Iraqi artist Hashem Muhammad al-Baghdadi, is listed under "B" for Baghdadi, the paternal family name while the artist Zigi Ben-Haim, is listed under "H" for Haim.
A Faraj Abbo (1921–1984), artist, theatre director, designer, author and educatorMermier, F., Liban, espaces partagés et pratiques de rencontre, Vol. 1 of Les cahiers de l'IFPO, Institut français du Proche-Orient, 2008, p. 143 Firyal Al-Adhamy (also known as Ferial al-Althami) (b. 1950) hurufiyya artist, calligrapher Kajal Ahmad (b. 1967), Kurdish-Iraqi poetMikhail, M.,Poets in the World: 15 Iraqi Poets [Poets in the World Series], New Directions, 2014 Najiba Ahmad (b. 1954), poet Modhir Ahmed (born 1956), visual artist Sadik Kwaish Alfraji (b. 1960), multi-media artist, photographer, animator, video producer and installation artistMouasher, M. and Mols, L. (eds), Modern and Contemporary Arab Art from the Levant: The Majida Mouasher Collection, Schilt Publishing, 2016, p. 105; Muller, N., Sadik Kwaish Alfraji, Schilt Publishing, 2015; "Sadik Kwaish Alfraji," [Biographical Notes], Galerie Tanit, Online: Ahmed Albahrani (born 1965), sculptor and painter M.J. Alhabeeb (born 1954), calligrapher and painter Ayad Alkadhi (born 1971), visual artist Rheim Alkadhi (b. 1973), multidisciplinary artist Farid Allawerdi (1927-2007), Iraqi composer Sama Alshaibi (b. 1973), media and installation artist Usama Alshaibi (b. 1969), filmmaker and painter Jananne Al-Ani (b. 1966), Iraqi-Irish photographer and film-maker Latif al-Ani (b. 1932), photographer, known as the 'father of Iraqi photography'Ruya Foundation, "Exhibition: Latif Al Ani, Founding Father of Iraqi Photography," October 31, 2017 Online:; Arraf, J., "Art in Iraq: ‘Baghdad is happening! It’s like New York...’" The Guardian, 19 April 2015 Online:; Montazami, M., Latif Al Ani, Hatje Cantz Verlag, 2017 Zahroun Amara, world renowned Mandaean niello silversmith. People that are known to have owned his silver nielloware include Stanley Maude, Winston Churchill, Bahrain royal family, Egyptian King Farouk, Iraqi royal family including kings Faisal I and Ghazi, and British royal family including the Prince of Wales who became Edward VIII. Sinan Antoon (b. 1967), poetMikhail, M.,Poets in the World: 15 Iraqi Poets [Poets in the World Series], New Directions, 2014 Layla Al-Attar (1944–1993), artist and painter Suad al-Attar (born 1942), painterEigner, S. (ed), Art of the Middle East: Modern and Contemporary Art of the Arab World and Iran, Merrell, 2010, p. 168 Halla Ayla (born 1957), photographer, painter Apo Avedissian (b. 1990), filmmaker, painter, photographer, and writer Dia Azzawi (b. 1939), painter active in Iraq and London Fadhil Al Azzawi (born 1940), poetMikhail, M.,Poets in the World: 15 Iraqi Poets [Poets in the World Series], New Directions, 2014
B Hashem Muhammad al-Baghdadi (1917–1973), calligrapher"Hashem Muhammad al-Baghdadi," Oxford Art Online; Bloom, J. and Blair, S.S. (eds), Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art & Architecture, OUP, 2009, pp 13-14; Turner, J., The Dictionary of Art, 14 217; 161; Robinson, F. (ed.), The Cambridge Illustrated History of the Islamic World, Cambridge University Press, 1996, p. 287 Niazi Mawlawi Baghdadi, 19th-century painter, decorator and calligrapherAl-Said, S.H., Chapters from the History of Plastic Art Movement in Iraq,, 1988, p. 47; Ali, W., Islamic Art: Development and Continuity, Florida University Press, 1997, p. 46 Ala Bashir (born 1939), painter, sculptor and plastic surgeonIraq Today, Volumes 104-127, Ministry of Information, Directorate General of Information, Iraq, 1980, p. 26 Basil Al Bayati (b. 1946), architect and designer Wafaa Bilal (b. 1966), performance artist, author and educator
C Wasma'a Khalid Chorbachi (born 1944), Iraqi-American ceramist, calligrapher, painter Kamil Chadirji (1897–1968), photographerDavis, E., Memories of State: Politics, History, and Collective Identity in Modern Iraq, University of California Press, 2005, p. 305n Rifa'at Chadirchi (1926–2020), architect
D Issa Hanna Dabish (1919–2009), painterIraqi Artists' Association, Online: Murad al-Daghistani (1917–1984), photographerSaeed, M., A Portal in Space, University of Texas Press, 2016, p. 75 Salim al-Dabbagh (b. 1941), artist and print-makerFloyd, T., "Hafidh al-Droubi," [Biography], Mathaf Encyclopedia of Modern Art and the Arab World, Online Bassem Hamad al-Dawiri (died 2007), sculptor and artist Hafidh al-Droubi (1914–1991), painter and educatorTouati, S., "Salim al-Dabbagh," [Biography], Mathaf Encyclopedia of Modern Art and the Arab World, Online; Ali, W., Modern Islamic Art: Development and Continuity, University of Florida Press, 1997, p. 47; Faraj, M., Strokes Of Genius: Contemporary Iraqi Art, London, Saqi Books, 2001, p. 43
E Enheduanna, 23rd century BCE poet, wrote on Cuneiform tablets Ali Eyal (b. 1994), multi-media artist and painter Emma Laraby (b. 1990), visual arts educator, artist, graphic designer
F Lisa Fattah (1941–1992), German-born painter, wife of Ismail Fatah al-Turk, active in Iraq Fuzûlî (Muhammad bin Suleyman), 15th century poet Mun'im Furat (1900–1972), sculptorBaram, A., Culture, History and Ideology in the Formation of Ba'thist Iraq,1968-89, Springer, 1991, p. 76
H Abdulameer Yousef Habeeb (b. ?), calligrapher Mohammed Saeed Al-Habboubi (1849–1915), poet Zaha Hadid (1950–2016), Iraqi-British architect Asim Abdul Hafid (1886 - ?)Ali, W., Modern Islamic Art: Development and Continuity, University of Florida Press, 1997, p. 47 Kadhim Hayder (alternatives: Kazem Haider, Kadhim Haydar) (1932–1985), artist, poet, author, stage-set designer, educatorAl-Bahloly, S., Kadhim Haidar, [Biographical Notes], Mathaf Encyclopedia of Modern Art and the Arab World, http://www.encyclopedia.mathaf.org.qa/en/bios/Pages/Kadhim-Haidar.aspx Zigi Ben-Haim (b. 1945), sculptor and painter Mansur Al-Hallaj, 9th century Sufi poet and mystic Jamil Hamoudi, (1924–2003), sculptor, painter and author Choman Hardi (born 1974), poet, translator and painter Faeq Hassan (1914–1990), painterFloyd, T., "Faiq Hassan," [Biographical Notes], Mathaf Encyclopedia of Modern Art and the Arab World, Online:; Bloom, J. and Blair, S., Grove Encyclopedia of Islamic Art & Architecture, Oxford University Press, 2009, p. 141 Mohammed Ghani Hikmat (1929–2011), sculptorFloyd, T., "Mohammed Ghani Hikmat," Mathaf Encyclopedia of Modern Art and the Arab World, Online:
J Jabra Ibrahim Jabra (1920–1994), painter, art historian, art critic and author Khalid al-Jader (1922–1988), painter, educator, art historian and authorFloyd, R., "Khalid al-Jader," Mathaf Encyclopedia of Modern Art and the Arab World, Online; Contemporary Arts Association, Pioneers of the Plastic Art Movement in Bahrain, Ministry of Information, Government Press (Bahrain), 2009, p. 42 Muhammad Mahdi Al-Jawahiri (1899–1997), poet Koutaiba Al Janabi (?-?), film-maker and photographerAlaq, A., "The Origins of Photography in Iraq", Arab Pictures, 24 December 2015, Online: (translated from Arabic) Amal al-Jubouri (b. 1967), poet Jamal Jumá, poet Saleh al-Jumai'e (b. 1939), contemporary artist"Saleh Jumaie" Bonhams' Gallery, Online:; Hann, G., Dabrowska, K. and Greaves, T.Y., Iraq: The Ancient Sites and Iraqi Kurdistan, Bradt Travel Guides, 2015, p.31
K Nida Kadhim (b. 1937), sculptor Hayv Kahraman (born 1981), painter and sculptor Farouk Kaspaules (born ?), artist Hashim al-Khattat, "Hashim the Calligrapher," (1917–1973), calligrapher, considered as the last of the classical calligraphers Rachel Khedoori (born 1964), Australian-born artist of Iraqi heritage (twin sister of Toba Khedoori) Toba Khedoori (born 1964), Australian-born artist of Iraqi heritage, known primarily for highly detailed mixed-media paintings (twin sister of Rachel Khedoori) Paulus Khofri (1923–2000), composer, lyricist and painter Nedim Kufi (b. 1966), multi-disciplinary visual artist and graphic designer
M Muhammad Hasan Abi al-Mahasin, poet Alaa Al-Marjani (b. 1967), photographer from Najaf city, worked with AP and Reuters. Mohamed Makiya (1914–2015), modernist architect and patron of the artsDabrowska, K., "Mohamed Makiya: Obituary," The Guardian, 27 August 2015 Online: Hanaa Malallah (b. 1958), painter Hassan Massoudy (b. 1944), painter and calligrapher Ahmed Matar (b. 1954), poetMikhail, M.,Poets in the World: 15 Iraqi Poets [Poets in the World Series], New Directions, 2014 Dunya Mikhail (b. 1965), poet Ghassan Muhsen (born 1945), artist, painter and ambassador Ibn Muqla (885/6–940), 10th-century calligrapher
N Yuhana Nashmi, Mandaean visual artist and ceramicist based in Australia Rafa al-Nasiri (1940–2013), painter, print-maker, educator and authoran-Nāṣirī, S. and Muẓaffar, M. Rafa al-Nasiri His Life and Art, al-Muʼassasa al-ʻArabīya li-d-Dirāsāt wa-'n-Našr, 2010; Bleicher, S., Contemporary Color: Theory and Use, Cengage Learning, 2012 p. 190; "Rafa al-Naisiri," [Biographical Notes], Barjeel Foundation Online:; Amirsadeghi, G, Mikdadi, S., Shabout, N.M. New Vision: Arab Contemporary Art in the 21st Century, Thames & Hudson, 2009, pages 31 and 41-42 Muzaffar Al-Nawab (b. 1934), poet, critic and painterEstuary Auctions, Contemporary Art [Catalogue of Sale], 2018, p.62 Abū Nuwās al-Ḥasan ibn Hānī al-Ḥakamī, 9th century Iraqi poet Farah Nosh, photographer and photo-journalist
O Amer al-Obaidi (b. 1943), painterInati, S.C. (ed.), Iraq: Its History, People, and Politics, Humanity Books, 2003, p. 84; Jabra, I.J., The Grass Roots of Art in Iraq, Waisit Graphic and Publishing, 1983, p. 64, Online: Mahmoud Obaidi (b. 1966), painter, conceptual artist, sculptor, film-maker Madiha Omar (1908–2005), pioneer of the Hurufiyya movement Widad Al-Orfali (b. 1929),Widewalls, Online: artist and musician
P Fred Parhad (b. 1947), sculptor
Q Qais Al-Sindy (b. 1967), artist and painter
R Husain al-Radi (1924–1963), politician, poet, and painter Nuha al-Radi (1941–2004), diarist, ceramicist, painterPocock, C., "The Reason for the Project: Art in Iraq Today", in: Azzawi, D. (ed.), Art in Iraq Today, Abu Dhabi, Skira and Meem, 2011, p. 101; Hann, G., Dabrowska, K. and Greaves, T.T., Iraq: The Ancient Sites and Iraqi Kurdistan, Bradt Travel Guides, 2015, p. 109 Khaled al-Rahal (1926-1987), sculptor and painterAl-Khalil, S. and Makiya, K., The Monument: Art, Vulgarity, and Responsibility in Iraq, University of California Press, 1991, p. 75 Nadhim Ramzi (1928–2013), artist and graphic designer Ibrahim Rashid (born 1957), multidisciplinary artist Abdul Qadir Al Rassam (1882–1952), painterFloyd, T., "Abdul Qadir Al Rassam," [Biography], Mathaf Encyclopedia of Modern Art and the Arab World, Online Wafaa Abed Al Razzaq (b. 1952), poetSaeedm M., "A Legacy of Ruins: Iraqi Letters and Intellectuals Under Saddam's Regime", Al Jadid Magazine, Vol. 9, Nos. 42/43, 2003, Online:
S Miran al-Saadi (b. 1934)"Miran Al Saadi," Ibrahimi Collection, Online: sculptor Mahmoud Sabri (1927–2012), painter"Quantum Realism, Mahmoud Sabri: A Retrospective," Six Pillars Organisation, Online:Jabra, I.J., The Grass Roots of Art in Iraq, Waisit Graphic and Publishing, 1983, p. 35, Online: Jamil Sidqi al-Zahawi (1863–1936), poet, educator and activist Ahmed Al Safi (born 1971), sculptor Shakir Hassan Al Said (1925–2004), painter, art historian, art critic, educator and prolific authorMejcher-Atassi, S., "Shakir Hassan Al Said," Mathaf Encyclopedia of Modern Art and the Arab World, Online: