IRAQ: Art in troubled times, VI

The vibrant swirls and frenetic floral coloring of this painting by Iraqi Mohammed Qassem strongly recall the works of Marc Chagall or Vincent van Gogh. The energy and passion of the painting style contrast strongly with the blank, impassive expressions on the faces of the women (or is it the same woman in different outfits, redrawn over and over?).

— Borzou Daragahi in Beirut

Artist: Mohammed Qassem. Courtesy: Afnan Gallery