Bassem Hamad al-Dawiri
Encyclopedia
Bassem Hamad al-Dawiri was an Iraq
i sculptor and artist
. He helped create a Baghdad
artist association, called the "Survivors' Group" following the fall of the Saddam Hussein
government in 2003.
Al-Dawiri was born in Iraq
. He was a 1993 graduate of Baghdad College of Arts.
Bassem Hamad al-Dawiri co-founded an artist association, called the "Survivors' Group," following the ouster of Saddam Hussein during the 2003 invasion of Iraq
. The group has erected a number of statues
throughout Baghdad, despite the violence.
Al-Dawiri's most famous work came after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. On April 9, 2003, crowds of Iraqis, aided by United States Marines
, toppled a massive statue
of Saddam Hussein in Firdos Square
, located in the heart of Baghdad. Pictures of the destruction of the statue, which depicted Saddam in a suit with his right arm outstretched, were aired on news
broadcasts worldwide. Iraqis were jubilantly seen hitting the statue with their shoes
and throwing garbage at Saddam's likeness.
Bassem Hamad al-Dawiri was asked by Iraq's interim authorities
to erect a new sculpture
in Firdos Square less than one month after the destruction of the Saddam statue. Al-Dawiri and a group of artists whom he asked to work with him on the project, created a new modernist sculpture
on the site of the old Saddam statue. Al-Dawiri's new sculpture
depicts branches reaching towards the Iraqi sky
with a ball balancing on a crescent moon. The sculpture is meant to symbolize the unity of Iraq's three main groups - Shias, Sunnis and Kurds. Critics have charged that the sculpture is meaningless considering the sectarian violence
which has engulfed Baghdad and Iraq since 2003.
Al-Dawari also created a memorial statue dedicated to 18 Iraqi children killed in a suicide car blast in 2005. The statue, which was located in a poor Shia neighborhood called New Baghdad
in the eastern part of the city, was destroyed by explosives only months after its creation.
in the southern Iraqi city of Kut
on September 19, 2007. Kut is located approximately 100 miles from Baghdad. Al-Dawiri was driving to visit relatives when one of his tires blew out causing his car to overturn. He was 34 years old and was survived by his wife, who was expecting the couple's first child. His death was reported by the Association of Iraqi Artists, of which he was a member.
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
i sculptor and artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
. He helped create a Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
artist association, called the "Survivors' Group" following the fall of the Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein
Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majid al-Tikriti was the fifth President of Iraq, serving in this capacity from 16 July 1979 until 9 April 2003...
government in 2003.
Al-Dawiri was born in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. He was a 1993 graduate of Baghdad College of Arts.
Bassem Hamad al-Dawiri co-founded an artist association, called the "Survivors' Group," following the ouster of Saddam Hussein during the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
. The group has erected a number of statues
Statues
Statues is a popular children's game, often played in Australia but with versions throughout the world.-General rules:# A person starts out as the "Curator" and stands at the end of a field. Everyone else playing stands at the far end...
throughout Baghdad, despite the violence.
Al-Dawiri's most famous work came after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. On April 9, 2003, crowds of Iraqis, aided by United States Marines
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
, toppled a massive statue
Statue
A statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
of Saddam Hussein in Firdos Square
Firdos Square
Firdaus Square, or Firdos Square , is a public open space in Baghdad, Iraq. It is named after the Arabic word Firdows, which literally means "paradise". It is the location of two of the best-known hotels, the Palestine Hotel and the Sheraton Ishtar, which are the two tallest buildings in Baghdad...
, located in the heart of Baghdad. Pictures of the destruction of the statue, which depicted Saddam in a suit with his right arm outstretched, were aired on news
News
News is the communication of selected information on current events which is presented by print, broadcast, Internet, or word of mouth to a third party or mass audience.- Etymology :...
broadcasts worldwide. Iraqis were jubilantly seen hitting the statue with their shoes
Shoeing
Shoeing, throwing shoes, showing the sole of one's shoe or using shoes to insult are forms of protest in many parts of the world.Incidents where shoes were thrown at political figures have taken place in Australia, India, Ireland, Israel, Hong Kong, Pakistan, the United Kingdom and most notably,...
and throwing garbage at Saddam's likeness.
Bassem Hamad al-Dawiri was asked by Iraq's interim authorities
Iraqi Interim Government
The Iraqi Interim Government was created by the United States and its coalition allies as a caretaker government to govern Iraq until the Iraqi Transitional Government was installed following the Iraqi National Assembly election conducted on January 30, 2005...
to erect a new sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
in Firdos Square less than one month after the destruction of the Saddam statue. Al-Dawiri and a group of artists whom he asked to work with him on the project, created a new modernist sculpture
Modernism
Modernism, in its broadest definition, is modern thought, character, or practice. More specifically, the term describes the modernist movement, its set of cultural tendencies and array of associated cultural movements, originally arising from wide-scale and far-reaching changes to Western society...
on the site of the old Saddam statue. Al-Dawiri's new sculpture
Sculpture
Sculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
depicts branches reaching towards the Iraqi sky
Sky
The sky is the part of the atmosphere or outer space visible from the surface of any astronomical object. It is difficult to define precisely for several reasons. During daylight, the sky of Earth has the appearance of a pale blue surface because the air scatters the sunlight. The sky is sometimes...
with a ball balancing on a crescent moon. The sculpture is meant to symbolize the unity of Iraq's three main groups - Shias, Sunnis and Kurds. Critics have charged that the sculpture is meaningless considering the sectarian violence
Sectarian violence
Sectarian violence and/or sectarian strife is violence inspired by sectarianism, that is, between different sects of one particular mode of ideology or religion within a nation/community...
which has engulfed Baghdad and Iraq since 2003.
Al-Dawari also created a memorial statue dedicated to 18 Iraqi children killed in a suicide car blast in 2005. The statue, which was located in a poor Shia neighborhood called New Baghdad
New Baghdad
New Baghdad or Baghdad Al-Jidida is one of nine administrative districts in Baghdad, Iraq. This district has nine Neighborhood Advisory Councils and a District Advisory Council. It is located east of the city center...
in the eastern part of the city, was destroyed by explosives only months after its creation.
Death
Bassem Hamad al-Dawiri was killed in a car accidentCar accident
A traffic collision, also known as a traffic accident, motor vehicle collision, motor vehicle accident, car accident, automobile accident, Road Traffic Collision or car crash, occurs when a vehicle collides with another vehicle, pedestrian, animal, road debris, or other stationary obstruction,...
in the southern Iraqi city of Kut
Kut
Al-Kūt is a city in eastern Iraq, on the left bank of the Tigris River, about 160 kilometres south east of Baghdad. the estimated population is about 374,000 people...
on September 19, 2007. Kut is located approximately 100 miles from Baghdad. Al-Dawiri was driving to visit relatives when one of his tires blew out causing his car to overturn. He was 34 years old and was survived by his wife, who was expecting the couple's first child. His death was reported by the Association of Iraqi Artists, of which he was a member.