Iraqi artist Athier Mousawi exhibition- Ayyam gallery

From a distance, British-Iraqi artist Athier Mousawi’s paintings could be seen only as a visual treat of abstract form and colour, which attract a viewer simply because of the activity on the canvas. But they go much deeper than that. You can find it yourself in his latest exhibition at Ayyam gallery from 20th January.

Athier Mousawi known as simply 'Athier', is the son of renowned Iraqi architect and artist, Ali Mousawi and Maysaloun Faraj. His approach to art can be traced back to the rigidity of bold Arab architecture, combining this with the colour and boldness of Iraqi painting.

His iconic style ranges from influences across European modernism to contemporary Iraqi art. Athier's latest exhibition explores the concepts of fluidity and how people become detached from human deconstruction, alongside themes found in the reflection of recent Iraqi history.

This unique collection at Ayyam gallery explores the shifting state between order and disorder. Departing from his trademark geometric forms and bold colours, Mousawi's new pieces include one, two and three-dimensional figures.

Much of the artist's work is focused on creating a visual relationship between unanswerable questions and undefined answers. While aesthetically pleasing at a distance, the pieces are loaded with symbolism depicting his homeland, adopted home and the concept of nostalgia.