Kareem Rissan

Born Baghdad, Iraq, 1960

Risan graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts, Baghdad, in 1988. Shortly afterwards he joined the army, a period which he documented through a series of drawings. His work includes a variety of media. Along with some of his contemporaries – Dia al-Azzawi, Rafa al-Nasiri and Ghassan Gha’ib, among others – he uses the book form, as illustrated in Baghdad Burning, 2003, a boxed book of twelve folios with collage, drawing and printing. His works are in public and private collections in the Middle East and elsewhere. Risan has had numerous solo exhibitions in the Middle East and has participated in many international group exhibitions. Recent travelling exhibitions include Dafatir: Contemporary Iraqi Book Art,Texas, USA, 2005; and Baghdad–Paris, Artistes d'Irak, Musée du Montparnasse, Paris, 2005–6. He lives and works in Baghdad.