BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES

Maysaloun Faraj (b. 1955, Los Angeles, USA) is an Iraqi-British painter, ceramist, and sculptor based in London. Trained in architecture at the University of Baghdad, her practice brings together Eastern and Western visual languages through geometry, spirituality, and vivid colour. Her work explores identity, memory, harmony, and the transience of human existence. Alongside her studio practice, she has contributed to the international visibility of contemporary Iraqi art through curatorial and editorial projects, notably Strokes of Genius: Contemporary Iraqi Art, the first major international touring exhibition of contemporary Iraqi visual art in the UK and USA (2000-2003). Her work is held in distinguished public collections internationally She has lived in London since 1982, with intermittent periods in Paris, including residencies at the Cité Internationale des Arts in 2015/17/18.

PERSONAL DETAILS 

Born Los Angeles, California, USA, 1955   

Heritage Iraqi 

Languages English, Arabic, Basic French 

EDUCATION                                                                     

1978 BSc in Architecture, University of Baghdad, Iraq.      

Additional Training in Ceramic Sculpture, Putney School of Art & Design, London 

RESIDENCIES                                                              

2015, 2017, 2018 Cité Internationale des Arts, Paris     

CURATORIAL AND EDITORIAL WORK                                

2000-2003 Curator, Strokes of Genius: Contemporary Iraqi Art, UK and USA tour                                                                    

2001 Editor, Strokes of Genius: Contemporary Iraqi Art, Saqi Books                                                                        

2002-2010 Co-founder, Aya Gallery, London                           

2008 Judge, inaugural Arab Art and Culture Award, United Kingdom   

SELECTED PUBLIC COLLECTIONS 

British Museum, London                                                    

Mathaf, Doha                                                               

National Museum of Women in the Arts, Washington  

Wereldmuseum Rotterdam                                                    

Aga Khan Foundation, Toronto                                         

Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah                                       

Jordan National Museum, Amman                                       

Centre for Arab American Studies, Michigan                        

Works also held in esteemed private collections internationally.

SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS  

2026 SADĀ | Echoes, 1 Blossom Yard, E1 6RS, London, UK

2025 Roots & Horizons: T/Racing Time Contemporary Art Platform, Kuwait

2024 Let Us Be Light Galerie Mark Hachem Paris

2024 Home • Shooting Stars and Wings almarkhiya gallery Doha, Qatar

2022 HOME Lockdown 2020-22 Galerie Mark Hachem Paris

2018 Shooting Stars: Baghdad A Paris Cité des Arts Paris

2009 Boats and Burdens: Kites and Shattered Dreams Ayagallery London

1995 Once Upon a Culture SOAS (School of Oriental & African Studies) London

1994 Oriental Delight Trocadero London

1992 Sisters in Harmony River Gardens London

1991 Faith Argile Gallery London

1990 Ya Rab Rochan Gallery Motcomb Street London

1989 Home Sweet Home Artists Studio Baghdad

1987 Nostalgia Artists Studio London

1985 Vibrations from my Past Espace 2000 Paris  

SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS  

2025/6 SILA: All That is Left is You, Maraya Art Centre, Al Qasba, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates

2024 The, Sky Above Gaza... Imagined Doha Fire Station, almarkhiya gallery, Doha, Qatar

2023 Contemporary Istanbul with Mark Hachem Gallery 27 Sept - 1 Oct Istanbul, Turkey

- Menart Fair (Middle East & North Africa Art) with Mark Hachem Gallery, Belgium Brussels

2022 Artists’ Books, Poetry to Politics, British Museum, London UK

2022 Hidden UK, Hidden Ireland, curated by Sean Scully, Flowers Gallery, London UK

2020/21 Art in Isolation: Creativity in the Time of COVID-19 Middle East Institute,Washington USA

2018 Mapping the Art of the Arab World Selections Publishing, Dubai | Brussels

2016 Abu Dhabi Art Ayyam Gallery UAE

2015 Resident Artist Cité Internationale des Arts Paris France

2014 Get Acquainted Sharjah Calligraphy Biennial ­ Sixth Edition UAE

2010 One Thousand and One Nights William Paterson University New Jersey USA                     

2009 The Recessionists British Art and Art from the Middle East Somerset UK

- Creativity vs Destruction: Stories of Iraqi Art Reel Iraq Roxy Art House Edinburgh Scotland

2008 Iraq's Past Speaks to the Present British Museum London

-      Word into Art British Museum and DIFC Dubai UAE

2006 Occupied Space: Art for Palestine Palestine Solidarity & Qattan Foundation London

2004 Seed Body & Soul: Artists Against Depleted Uranium Earls Court London

2003 Cities of Iraq: Samarra to Baghdad (Islamic Culture in Focus) British Museum London

-      Diversity in Harmony University of Michigan Dearborn USA

-      Before After Now: Visions of Iraq Deluxe Gallery Hoxton Square London

2002 Islamic World Painting Biennial Tehran Museum of Contemporary Art Iran

-      Calligraphy Beit al-Quran Manama Bahrain

-      Master Strokes October Gallery London UK

2001 Contemporary Arab Art Wereldmuseum Rotterdam Netherlands

2000/3 Strokes of Genius: Contemporary Iraqi Art Tour UK & USA: Brunei Gallery SOAS London, Exeter University, Hotbath Galleries Bath, Grinnell College Iowa, DePaul
University Chicago

2000 Arab Cultures: Young Worlds British Museum London

1999 Artists for Human Rights Durban South Africa

- Dialogue of the Present Tour London Brighton and Brunell

1998 20th Anniversary of Egee Art Soni Gallery London

1997 Homage to Jewad Selim Kufa Gallery London

-      Art in Hammersmith Riverside Studios London

-      Breaking Down the Boundaries Pits Hanger Gallery London

1996 Eastern & Icelandic Art: William Morris Centenary Wimbledon Library London

1995 Arabian Eyes: Arab Women Art Bait al-Sirkal Ministry of Culture & Information Sharjah UAE

1994 Forces of Change: Artists from the Arab World National Museum for Women in the Arts: Tour    Washington Chicago California

-      Culture & Continuity Midlands Art Centre Birmingham

1992 Out of Iraq Camden Lock Market London

-      Arab Womens' Art Festival Rose Issa and Kufa Gallery London

1988 Baghdad International Biennial Saddam Art Centre (formerly) Baghdad

-      126th Annual Society of Women Artists Westminster Central Hall London 

1986 Contemporary Arab Art Mall Galleries Arab States League London