Azzawi received degrees in archaeology from the University of Baghdad in 1962 and fine arts from Baghdad’s Institute of Fine Arts in 1964, worked at Iraq’s Department of Antiquities until 1976, and has since resided in London. Founder of the pivotal Iraqi art group New Vision in 1969, he was also part of One Dimension founded by Shakir Hassan al-Said. Among Azzawi’s renowned works is the iconic mural Sabra and Shatila (1982-1985), part of the Tate Modern collection, reflecting on the brutal massacre of Palestinian refugees by the Lebanese Christian Phalangist militia during the 1982 Israeli invasion.
Azzawi works in different mediums, including paintings, sculptures, prints, drawings and books. He is considered as one of the finest colorists among contemporary Iraqi artists. His paintings echo the resplendent colors of his homeland and his works juxtapose text and image.
Azzawi is widely exhibited around the world and his art is represented in many prestigious international private and public collections such as the British Museum, London; the Library of Congress, Washington D.C.; the Tate Modern, London; the Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Institut du Monde Arabe, Paris. He lives and works in London.
