SALEH AL JUMAIE

b. 1939, Saweira, Iraq. 

Saleh al-Jumaie is a contemporary Iraqi artist – who focused his work on exploring the idea of tracks left by ancient heritage – is part of a cohort that defined Iraqi art in the 1960s. Arabic calligraphy and script are seen in many of his abstract works. 

Al-Jumaie was part of one of the first batches of students to graduate from the Academy of Fine Arts in 1965. His cohort was taught by the first group of contemporary Iraqi arts such as Hafidh al-Droubi and Jawad Saleem, who endorsed the concept of incorporating ancient heritage in abstract works. Soon after, Al-Jumaie along with Salim Dabbah, Faik Hussain and Ali Taleb created the artist group named the ‘Innovationists’. They promoted the concept of rebelled against traditional art styles by experimenting with and exploring new mediums such as aluminium, collage, mono-type, and more. 

Al-Jumaie’s scholarship from the Ministry of Education in 1965, gave him the chance further his education at the California College of Arts and Crafts in Oakland. Upon graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts, he returned to Baghdad, and co-founded the ‘New Vision Group’, another artist group, teaming up with Ismail Fatah al-Turk, Muhammed Muhr al-Din, Hashimi al-Samarchi, Rafa al-Nasiri and Dia Azzawi. Their intent was to showcase and curate a free style of art, within the framework of their heritage. 

He left Iraq in 1979 as a result of political upheaval and moved to Almeda, California in the United States, working as a freelance graphic artist.