Rashad Selim

Born Khartoum, Sudan, 1957

With a German mother and a diplomat Iraqi father, Selim travelled extensively before moving to Iraq in 1971. He specialized in graphic arts at the Institute of Fine Arts, Baghdad, 1980, later pursuing his studies in audio visuals at St Martin’s School of Art, London, 1983. Between 1977 and 1978 he was the Iraqi crew member on the Norwegian Thor Heyerdahl’s reed-boat expedition from the river Tigris to Djibouti, which developed his interest in history, indigenous cultures and traditional arts. His career is marked by a number of travels and residencies, including Tunisia, Morocco,Yemen and the UK. He has taught extensively and has been an art advisor for the United Nations and other cultural institutions. His work includes film and photography, printmaking, sculpture, illustration and stage design. Selim’s is a renowned artistic family – notably his uncle, Jewad Selim, was a pioneer of modern art in Iraq. Rashad Selim lives and works in England.