° 1937

Lives in Iraq, born in Najaf (Iraq).

Saadi Al Kaabi (b. 1937) belongs to the second generation of Iraqi modernist painters who sought to forge their own identity subsequent to decolonization. In his work this is made manifest in his appropriation of diverse influences encompassing the entire reference range from East to West – from western Cubism to traditional Islamic art. Using a diverse visual vocabulary, Al Kaabi attempts to dissect the nuances and contradictions inherent to human existence, a theme that perfectly fits with the enlightenment that reigned in the Arab word during the 1960’s.