The Mosaic Rooms presents new works from one of Iraq’s leading artists. Hanaa’ Mal-Allah’s recent work, consists of books and multimedia work, and is increasingly concerned with the loss of Iraq’s heritage particularly the destruction of its libraries and the looting of the Baghdad National Museum following the US–led invasion in 2003. She also focuses upon the apparently recurrent torching of Mesopotamia throughout history. Another main theme of her work is the ability of such destruction to inspire artistic creation: many of her pieces are burned and cut as well as being painted.

Hanaa’ Mal-Allah studied at the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad where she was taught by Shaker Hassan al-Said, obtaining her diploma, BA, and MA degrees from there. In 2005, she was awarded a PhD in the philosophy of painting. She has exhibited widely in solo and group exhibitions, most recently at the British Museum, as part of the Iraq’s Past Speaks to the Present exhibition and in Iraqi Artists in Exile at the Houston Station Museum. She has won a number of prizes and her work is in private and public collections including the Museum of Fine Arts, Amman Jordan and the British Museum.

19th March – 2nd April 2009