Ibrahim Rashid (b. 1957) is a multi-disciplinary artist who explores socio-political discourses with a focus on the human body, using symbolic imagery and mythological subtexts. During the 1980’s in Baghdad, he worked as an illustrator for national magazines and newspapers where his drawings served as a critique of the social and political realities during the Gulf War, particularly the impacts of biopower and biopolitics on the human body. During this period he graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Baghdad and experienced firsthand the impact of life during war while also having to serve on the front line.
Rashid’s artwork explores intricate states of the human body through his paintings, drawings, and videos. His recent series, titled Big Bang, emerged during the pandemic and reveals phases of bodily destruction through organic textures and mythological objects. The paintings unravel exaggerated icons, symbols, and allegories, erupting and revealing inconsistencies in behaviors and events. At the core, it is an exploration of the body’s fragility in the constant interplay between life and death across bio-political and expansive compositions.
Internationally recognized, Rashid’s work has been exhibited in numerous galleries and museums throughout the USA, Sweden, Denmark and the Middle East. His public projects include Looking for Oxygen in Canada, and the series Landscape in Process in Santiago Calatrava’s Turning Torso in Malmö, Sweden. These projects showcase his large-scale and expansive paintings that interact with the architecture. Notable venues include the Mori Contemporary Art Museum in Tokyo, Japan, MAI (Montréal, arts intercultural) Gallery in Montréal, Canada, Malmö Museum, Sweden, ASpace Gallery in Toronto, Canada, and Darat Al Funun in Amman, Jordan.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2014 Gallery Svalunda, Malmö, Sweden.
“In Process”
2011 MAI (Montréal, arts interculturels) Gallery, Montréal, Canada
“Looking for Oxygen”
2010 ASpace Gallery, Toronto, Canada
“A Moment Before You Close Your Eyes”
2009 Passagen Konsthall, Linköping, Sweden
“Looking for Oxygen”
2008 Södertälje Konsthall, Södertälje, Sweden
“Ground Zero”
2008 Gallery Svalunda, Malmö, Sweden
“In Process”
2008 2 of 2 Gallery, Toronto, Canada
“Landscape in Process”
2007 Trollhättan Konsthall, Trollhättan, Sweden
“Checkpoint X”
2006 YYZ Artists’ Outlet, Toronto, Canada
“The Fragile Absolute Landscape”
2005 Gallery Svalunda, Malmö, Sweden
“What About My Garden”
2005 Stafanstorps Konsthall, Stafanstorp, Sweden
“Fragile Landscape”
2005 Landskrona Konsthall, Landskrona, Sweden
“Checkpoint X”
2005 Skovhuset Konsthall, Vaerlose, Denmark
“What About My Garden”
2004 Darat al Funun, Amman, Jordan
“Beyond 100°C”
2003 Rådhusets Konsthall, Örnsköldsvik, Sweden
“Beyond 100°C”
2003 Mösting Hus, Copenhagen, Denmark
“Landscape Without Boundary”
2002 Skånes Konstförening, Malmö, Sweden
“Landscape in Process”
2002 Växsjö Konsthall, Växsjö, Sweden
“Beyond 100°C”
2002 Farum Konsthall, Farum, Denmark
“Beyond 100°C”
2002 Vänermuseet, Lidköping, Sweden
“Beyond 100°C”
2002 Valfisken Konsthall, Simrishamn, Sweden
“Beyond 100°C”
2000 Kiruna Art Museum, Kiruna, Sweden
“Beyond Landscape”
1998 Barbacka Konsthall, Kristianstad, Sweden
“Trampled by time, Babylonia Awaits its Resurrection”
1997 Skånes Konstförening, Malmö, Sweden
“Beyond Landscape”
1996 Gallery 2112, Copenhagen, Denmark
“Transformation”
1994 Lilla Konstsalongen, Malmö, Sweden
“Reflections”
1991 Alia Art Gallery, Amman, Jordan
“Untitled”
1991 British Art Council Gallery, Amman, Jordan
“Untitled”
1990 Contemporary Art Center, Baghdad, Iraq
“Untitled”
1987 Baghdad Art Gallery, Baghdad, Iraq
“Spiritual Rituals”
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2012 Mori Contemporary Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan
“Arab Express”
2011 KW|ag 5th Biennial, Kitchener, Canada
“Monochromatic”
2008 Book Arts Project, The Arthur & Mata Jaffe Center, Texas, USA
“Stroke of Genius”
2006 Form Design Centre, Malmö, Sweden
“Design Now”
2005 Book Arts Project, University of North Texas Art Gallery, Texas, USA
“Stroke of Genius”
2004 Arteast, The NewSpace, New York, USA
“Untitled”
2001 Kufa Gallery, London, England
“Stroke of Genius”
2001 Faulconer Gallery, Iowa, USA
“Stroke of Genius”
2001 Hotbath Gallery, Iowa, USA
“Stroke of Genius”
2001 Brunei Gallery, London, England
“Stroke of Genius”
1997 Malmö Art Museum, Malmö, Sweden
“Untitled”
1992 Lund Konsthall, Autumn Salon, Malmö, Sweden
“Untitled”
1991 Lilla Konstsalongen, Malmö, Sweden
“Reflection”
SELECTED PRIZES AND GRANTS
2012 Ontario Arts Council, “Creation”, Canada
2011 Iaspis, The Swedish Arts Grants Committee, Sweden
2010 Ontario Arts Council, “Creation”, Canada
2007 Canada Council for the Arts, Sweden
2006-2007 The Swedish Council for the Arts, The Arts Grant Committee, “Creation”, Sweden
2005 The Swedish National Council for Culture Grant, Sweden
2005 Copenhagen AMT and Skov Art Centre International Grant, Denmark
2005 Olle Svanlund Art Grant, Sweden
2004 The SwedBank’s Cultures Grant, Sweden
2003 The Swedish Arts Grants Committee, Sweden
2000 Kultur Utviklingsmidlerna, Farum, Denmark
1999 Kiruna Art Grants, Kiruna, Sweden
1996 The Swedish Arts Grants Committee, Sweden
1987 The 5th Wasiti Bi-Annual Painting Award, Baghdad, Iraq
1985 Iraqi Art Critics First Prize, Baghdad, Iraq
SELECTED PUBLIC PROJECTS
2016 “Landscape in Process”, shortlisted public art, Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Toronto, Canada
2012 “Landscape in Process”, large scale mural commission, Eriksberg, Sweden
2011 “Poetic Moments”, winning public art bench competition, Burlington, Canada
2009 “Reflection”, shortlisted public artwork, Oshawa Courthouse, Oshawa, Canada
2006 “Landscape in Process II”, public art commission, Turning Torso, Malmö, Sweden
2005 “Landscape in Process I”, public art commission, Turning Torso, Malmö, Sweden
2004-2000 “The Red Wheel Barrow”, stage design commission, International Poetry Days, Malmö, Sweden
2000 “Northern Landscapes II”, public art commission, City of Kiruna Hospital, Kiruna, Sweden
1999 “Process”, public art commission, Lomma Library, Lomma, Sweden
2003 “What About My Garden”, winning public art competition, Turning Torso, Malmö, Sweden
1996 “Music Rooms II”, winning public art competition, General Hospital, Malmö, Sweden
1994 “Music Rooms I”, winning public art competition, Municipality of Malmö, Malmö, Sweden
EDUCATION
2009 Professional year towards Masters of Studio Arts, University of Waterloo, Canada
1999 Certificate in “Screen Printing”, Malmö, Sweden
1996 Certificate in “Digital Art in Public Space”, Malmö, Sweden
1980-1984 Bachelors of Visual Art, Academy of Fine Arts, Baghdad, Iraq