Barjeel Art Foundation acquires important Azzawi work

Sultan Sooud Al Qassemi reveals his latest acquisition to audiences at a panel discussion in Alserkal Avenue. The image is Dia Azzawi's A Wolf Howls: Memories of a Poet (1968)

During a panel discussion that looked back over the journey of the Barjeel Art Foundation since it began in 2010, Sultan Sooud Al-Qassemi, the founder, revealed that he has recently acquired one of Dia Azzawi's most important works. A Wolf Howls: Memories of a Poet is a 1968 work based on an important poem by Muzaffar Al Nawab that charts the story of a mother who lost her son during the Ba'aath coup. It shows a prostrate figure cowed by a wild animal and is a moving and important work by the celebrated Iraqi modernist.

Over the past two years, Barjeel Art Foundation has embarked on an unprecedented schedule of international exhibitions of works from the collection, and events around Arab modern and contemporary art. The discussion, which was moderated by Antonia Carver, the director of Art Jameel, covered the foundation's flexible and dynamic approach in developing projects as well as their work in collaboration with other institutions.

The team talked frankly about the challenges they have faced as well as the heavy burden of gathering art from the Arab world and having it be interpreted as a representation of the large and deeply complex region. 

As well as the Azzawi announcement, they also explained that the forthcoming Paul Guiragossian exhibition will be the last in the Maraya Art Centre gallery that Barjeel occupies and the foundation will also be taking a two year break in international exhibitions. 

The impressive collection of more than 1200 pieces of art can be viewed in the most part on the Barjeel website and all of Sultan Al Qassemi's writings and engagements can be found on his website