CLARITY OF THE REALIST STYLE
ADIL KAMIL
 

Balance at large:

Contemporary Iraqi painting enjoys unique peculiarities reflected in the intimacy between the work and the painter’s inner emotional upsurges. A whole world of visions, undergoes the inevitable processes of nourishment and assimilation before crystalisation as works of art. The process covers subject matter, stylistic predilections, techniques and design. The peculiarities, in terms of modern conceptual terminologies pertain to various degrees of similitude, or unity between the artist and his work. This phenomenon is discernible in the works of contemporary masters such as Fayik Hassan, a leading figure of modern realism. Artist Ibrahim Al-Abdali (born 1940) studied under Fayik Hassan at a time when all forms of modern Western European trends were fashionable. During those formative years Al-Abdali’s intent to master the realist technique was the right choice, since it suited his expressive potential in years to come.
He is one of those artists who are nostalgically attached to places and events, hence his success in reconstructing visions in his living memory. It is only natural that he refrains from dabbling in other styles. The result of such diligence, adopted since the sixties, has been behind the perfection of Al-Abdali’s work, embracing sensitive dexterity and poetic touch. This faithful attachment to realism in the face of forging stylistic trends would most certainly gain him the rare virtue of originality. It may generate new directions in Iraqi art in the near future. It would then be due to the efforts undertaken by Al-Abdali and his predecessors such as Fayik Hassan and others of his generation. Those pioneers had paved the road to cultivate realist values on dialectical bases for the ordinary people.
It may be necessary in this respect to compromise the dictates of traditional realism with the pressing needs of modernity to pave a path with a fresh perspective to realism.




Roots and Traditions

The seventies had seen a dozen of budding talents dabbling with the style for a while and then abandoning it for one reason or another. Al-Abdali was the only individual to persevere in his efforts. His work was characterised with a unity of style and vision, and was reminiscent of the early experimental work of Khalid Al-Qassab, Najeeb Younis, Nouri Mustafa and Khalid Al-Jadir. The work, moreover, bridges the time lapse to posterity, and forms a barrier in the face of influences emanating from abstract and abstract expressionism exemplified in the word of Anthony Tapis and others of the Western European school. Al-Abdali’s efforts have transcended mere technical proficiency in pursuit of original expression within the sacred precincts of realism in the past and the present.


Subject Matter under Sensitive Scrutiny

It is best to view Al-Abdali’s work with an all embracing consciousness of his brush strokes, colour harmonies and composition topics ranging from “still life” to “portraits”, “characteristic occupations”, “birds,” “collective human activity”, “horse–drawn carts” and “city lanes” are not necessarily dissimilar to prehistoric cave paintings, or the more recent works of Monet, with their secretive charm – celebrating the beauty of life which only art could reveal. The works of Al- Abdali have, likewise, adopted an approach to commemorate the noble spirit of human endeavour, with no philosophic pretensions. The perceptive eye, however, could not miss a hidden vocal dimension in his work in the form of light – heart, overtones revealing a deep absorption in his work.


Post – Scripts:

In the year 1989 painter Fayik Hassan wrote: “The overall work of my colleague Ibrahim Al-Abdali has been a proof of his broad capabilities as a painter, whose sumptuous contributions reveal a life–long experience of technical prowess and sensitivity of touch”.
In the year 1992 painter Ismael Al-Sheikhly wrote:
“Colleague Al-Abdali is one of the most distinguished artists of his generation for his excellent contributions. He is a true Baghdadi painter, whose work is deeply rooted in the folkloric traditions of the city. His inspired work is rendered in an admixture of realist–impressionist form of tender harmonies reminiscent of musical intonations. His work will, there fore be a worthy contribution to the history of Iraqi art”.
These critiques by two distinguished Iraqi artists are very valuable evaluations of Al-Abdali’s work. Fayik Hassan’s analysis, coupled with Al-sheikhly’s categorisation are very illuminating and worthy of emulation whenever critiques of this kind are attempted. Al-Sheikhly’s reference to the influence of folk traditions in particular is most revealing since it hints at Al-Abdali’s favourite pastime; as he is deeply engrossed as an accomplished vocalist in the Iraqi traditional musical scales known as “maqam”.
Sensitivity to musical notes may, hypothetically enhance sound visual capabilities, especially if one is endowed with both gifts. One would assume therefore that that is one of the virtues behind al-Abdali’s artistic accomplishments.

Baghdad