About Artist
 
Ali Al Tajer
Iraq
 
Ali Al Tajer is an Iraqi painter and art historian. Trained as a draughtsman at the College of Fine Arts at the University of Baghdad, Al Tajer worked as an illustrator for magazines and newspapers in Iraq. Al Tajer’s academic research was focused on the portrayal of ancients myths, human and animal motifs in the vernacular art and architecture of Iraq. Elements of these continue to pervade today in his painting. His recent series, ‘Babylon’ (2015), fuses scenes from daily urban life in Iraq with symbolic characters and objects. Among his influences, Al Tajer cites the expressionist city scenes of the Belgian painter James Ensor, the elliptical Fayum portraits of Egyptian Rome, and the musical qualities of Marc Chagall’s works. He speaks to Ruya about his recent series, Babylon, as well as the impact of myth, history and memory on his work.