Maysaloun Faraj, born 1955 Los Angeles, USA, is a London-based Iraqi painter, ceramist, and sculptor with a BSc in Architecture. She spent her early years between Los Angeles, Washington and New York (1955–1968) before moving to Baghdad at the end of the 1960s, followed by settling in London in 1982, with intermittent periods in Paris, including residencies of the Al-Mansouria Foundation: Cité International des Arts in 2015/17/18.
With an aesthetic informed by architectural discipline, her art brings together Eastern and Western influences, drawing on spirituality, geometry and vibrant colour to explore themes of harmony, memories of homeland, and often pondering on the transience of human existence.
Faraj has been a leading figure in the Iraq modern art scene and curated the first major international exhibition of Iraqi modern art (2000–2003) titled Strokes of Genius: Contemporary Iraqi Art. She co-founded Aya Gallery (2002–2010) to promote art from the Arab world and served as a judge for the inaugural Arab Art and Culture Award in the UK 2008. She is also the editor of the seminal publication Strokes of Genius: Contemporary Iraqi Art (Saqi Books, 2001).
“My art resonates and evolves in a fusion of East and West, tradition and modernity. The story I want to share is my challenge as an artist, a woman, a Muslim and an American-born Iraqi living outside the motherland.”
Her work is held in notable private and public collections worldwide, including Mathaf Modern (Doha Qatar), the British Museum, Rotterdam Wereld Museum, National Museum for Women in the Arts (USA), Jordan National Museum (Amman), Barjeel Art Foundation (UAE), Al-Mansouria Foundation (Paris), Aga Khan Foundation (Canada) and esteemed private collections including Hussain Ali Harba (Turin Italy), Ibrahimi and Ali Husri (Jordan), the late Basil al-Rahim (London), Hamad Abdulla & Nasser al-Khori (Houston & Doha) and important others.
Faraj’s contributions to the art world have established her as a key figure in the global narrative of Middle Eastern modern art. She continues to live and work in London, a city she has called home for over four decades.