Firyal Al-Adhamy

Firyal Al Adhamy Al-Adhamy (born 1950 in Baghdad, Iraq) is a Bahrain-based^[1] British Iraqi artist.

Born in Baghdad in 1950, she began her artistic endeavours as a hobby, crafting jewellery, costumes, textiles and woodwork, all inspired by Iraq's ancient cultural history. Later, when some of her jewellery was acquired by museums, she began to see her work as a potential career.^[2]

Although she graduated from the University of Baghdad, she did not study arts^[3] and is a self-taught artist.^[4]

She aims to faithfully reproduce ancient objects, thereby preserving Iraq's heritage.^[5] Firyal's latest collection, Postcards from Mesopotamia, is inspired by her reaction to the tragic looting of the Museum of Baghdad in 2003.^[6]

She has participated in both solo and group exhibitions, in London and in the Persian Gulf.^[7]

She has written one novel,^[8] and has also published a book with a collection of her poetry and paintings.^[9] Much of her work is inspired by poetry. Her later paintings incorporates Arabic script, over which she has mastery demonstrates a sincerity to Arab civilization especially the Babylonian and Sumerian civilizations.^[10] Her artworks have inspired the poetry of several Arabic poets including Laoy Taha^[11] and Mahmoud Darwish.^[12]

• 1988 – The Gallery, Intercontinental Hotel, Bahrain. Organized by the Ministry of Information
• 1990 – Kufa Gallery, London, UK organized by Ross Issa
• 1993- The Artist Studio, London, UK
• 1997- The Artist Studio, London, UK
• 2006- Darlelbareh Gallery, Manama, Bahrain
• 2008- Green Art Gallery Dubai "Postcards from Mesopotamia"
• 2009- The Memory of the place Gallery " When the Word Turns into Fragrant Ray of Light " Manama Bahrain

• 1987 – Bahrain Art Society Annual Exhibition, Bahrain
• 1988 – Alfan Gallery, Bahrain
• 1988 – Bahrain Art Society Annual Exhibition, Bahrain
• 1989 – Print making annual Exhibition London UK
• 1991 – Iraqi Artist Society Exhibition at Gallery 4, London, UK
• 1991 – Iraqi Artists at Kufa Gallery, London, UK
• 1992 – Arab Women Artists by the General Union of Palestinian Women
• 1992 – Iraqi Artist Society at Camden Town Lock, London, UK
• 1992 – Iraqi Women's Festival of Culture, Kufa Gallery, London, UK
• 1993 – Iraqi Artists Society at Gallery 4, London, UK
• 1993 – Group of International Artists, London, UK. Organized by Eastern Art Report
• 1993 – Group Exhibition, Imperial College, London, UK
• 1994 – Group Exhibition, Aramco, Inmaa Gallery, Saudi Arabia
• 1995 – Arab Fine Art Exhibition, London, UK. Organized by Arab-British Chambers of Commerce
• 1995 – “The World’s Women On-line Electronic Ballet” - Internet exhibition at the UN conference, Beijing, China
• 1995 – Arab Women Artists in London, Saidy Gallery, London, UK
• 1996 – Women Artists of the Islamic World, Islington Museum Gallery, London, UK
• 1997 – Group Exhibition at Saudi Arabian Art Gallery
• 1998 – Working for hotels’ project in the Persian Gulf
• 1998 – Group Exhibition “Selection from Arab Contemporary Art”, Bahrain
• 2001 – “Dialogue of the present” Groups of 18 Arab women artists was toured exhibition from January 1999 to January 2001, covering Bath, Plymouth, London (SOAS, Brunei Gallery) and Brighton University, UK
• 2008-09 Iraq Speaks to the Present, British Museum, UK^[13]
• 2009 - "Babylon Myth and Reality" British Museum London 2008-2009

• Islamic art
• List of Iraqi artists
• List of Iraqi women artists

Lloyd, Fran (1999). Contemporary Arab Women's Art: Dialogues of the present. London: WAL Women's Art Library. ISBN 1860645992.