Layla Al-Attar (Arabic: ليلى العطار; May 7, 1944 – June 27, 1993) was an Iraqi artist and painter who became the Director of the Iraqi National Art Museum. Through her art, al-Attar expressed ideals that attempted to recognize the importance of women in all spheres of society.[1]
Al-Attar graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Baghdad in 1965, and was among the first female graduates from that program. She became the Director of the Center for National Art (now the Iraqi Museum of Modern Art), a post she held until her death in 1993.[2]
Al-Attar held five one-woman shows in Iraq, and took part in all national and other collective exhibitions held in the country and abroad. Al-Attar also took part in the Kuwait Biennial (1973), the first Arab Biennial (Baghdad 1974), the second Arab Biennial (1976), the Kuwait Biennial (1981), and won the Golden Sail Medal in the Cairo Biennial (1984).
On 27 June 1993, Al-Attar, her husband, and their housekeeper were killed by a U.S. missile attack on the Iraqi Intelligence main building which was just behind her house, ordered by U.S. President Bill Clinton. The building was hit by 24 rockets. Two misfired and hit their house accidentally, per her son's testimony. The attack also blinded Al-Attar's daughter. There are some rumours the misfire was intended due to an unflattering mosaic of President George H. W. Bush, designed by Al-Attar, laid onto the floor at the entrance to the Al-Rashid Hotel in Baghdad. Additionally, some allege that Al-Attar used pieces of her destroyed home during the American bombings in 1991 to create this controversial mosaic.[3] The idea was that nobody would be able to get into the hotel, where most foreign visitors to Iraq stayed in the 1990s, without stepping on Bush’s face. The mosaic was removed when Baghdad was captured on 9 April 2003.[4][5] Her death was met with an angry response in Baghdad.[6]
Her sister, Suad al-Attar, is also an artist who now lives and works in London.
Legacy
The character Layal in the play Nine Parts of Desire is based on Al-Attar.[7] Author Heather Raffo, stated that she saw a painting by Al-Attar in an art gallery and was curious about it. This inspired her to write the play. While the Al-Attar character is central in it, the character is written as fictional and does not depict any specific relation to the real Layla Al Attar[7]
Kris Kristofferson dedicated and wrote a song about Al-Attar, called "The Circle", which appears on his live album Broken Freedom Song: Live from San Francisco. In the live introduction to the song on that CD, Kristofferson explains that it covers both the death of Layla Al-Attar and the problem of Los desaparecidos, the Argentines who "disappeared." They were secretly arrested and murdered by the Argentinian dictatorial government. He states that he linked the two as examples of governments taking no responsibility for the deaths of non-combatants.
Marta Gomez later covered the song on a tribute album, The Pilgrim. A celebration of Kris Kristofferson,[8] adding a verse in Spanish.
^Nusair, Isis. “The Cultural Costs of the 2003 US-Led Invasion of Iraq: A Conversation with Art Historian Nada Shabout.” Feminist Studies, vol. 39, no. 1, 2013, pp. 119–148. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/23719300.
^Nusair, I., "The Cultural Costs of the 2003 US-Led Invasion of Iraq: A Conversation with Art Historian Nada Shabout," Feminist Studies, Vol. 39, No. 1 (2013), p. 128 Online:
^Romanska, Magda. "Trauma and testimony: Heather Raffo's 9 Parts of Desire." Alif: Journal of Comparative Poetics, no. 30, 2010, p. 211+. Gale Academic Onefile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A229226870/AONE?u=cuny_laguardia&sid=AONE&xid=9cbb7f55. Accessed 14 Dec. 2019.
^Pope, H., "Artist's Rendering: After Painter Dies, A Myth is Born in Insular Iraq? Baghdadis Believe Ms. Attar Was Target of US Missiles," Asian Wall Street Journal June 3, 2002 Online:
^Cockburn, Patrick (April 20, 2016). "Mission creep: Baghdad after the fall of Saddam Hussein". The Independent. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
^"Raid on Baghdad: The Iraqi Capital; On Baghdad Streets, Angry Demands for Revenge". The New York Times. Reuters. June 28, 2003. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
^ abSandler, Lauren. "An American and Her Nine Iraqi Sisters." The New York Times. October 17, 2004. Retrieved on April 13, 2014.
^Marta Gómez: De dulce by Carles Gracia Escarp 21/06/2013 for cancioneros.com. Accessed online using Google Translate on June 25, 2015.
External links
Layla Al Attar at Iraqiart.com - digital archive of reproductions of artworks, many of which were stolen or damaged during the 2203 lootings and not accessible via any other reliable public source
February 15, 2023
layla, attar, arabic, ليلى, العطار, 1944, june, 1993, iraqi, artist, painter, became, director, iraqi, national, museum, through, attar, expressed, ideals, that, attempted, recognize, importance, women, spheres, society, bornmay, 1944baghdad, iraqdiedjune, 199. Layla Al Attar Arabic ليلى العطار May 7 1944 June 27 1993 was an Iraqi artist and painter who became the Director of the Iraqi National Art Museum Through her art al Attar expressed ideals that attempted to recognize the importance of women in all spheres of society 1 Layla Al AttarBornMay 7 1944Baghdad IraqDiedJune 27 1993 aged 49 Baghdad Iraq Contents 1 Life and career 2 Legacy 3 See also 4 References 5 External linksLife and career EditAl Attar graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Baghdad in 1965 and was among the first female graduates from that program She became the Director of the Center for National Art now the Iraqi Museum of Modern Art a post she held until her death in 1993 2 Al Attar held five one woman shows in Iraq and took part in all national and other collective exhibitions held in the country and abroad Al Attar also took part in the Kuwait Biennial 1973 the first Arab Biennial Baghdad 1974 the second Arab Biennial 1976 the Kuwait Biennial 1981 and won the Golden Sail Medal in the Cairo Biennial 1984 On 27 June 1993 Al Attar her husband and their housekeeper were killed by a U S missile attack on the Iraqi Intelligence main building which was just behind her house ordered by U S President Bill Clinton The building was hit by 24 rockets Two misfired and hit their house accidentally per her son s testimony The attack also blinded Al Attar s daughter There are some rumours the misfire was intended due to an unflattering mosaic of President George H W Bush designed by Al Attar laid onto the floor at the entrance to the Al Rashid Hotel in Baghdad Additionally some allege that Al Attar used pieces of her destroyed home during the American bombings in 1991 to create this controversial mosaic 3 The idea was that nobody would be able to get into the hotel where most foreign visitors to Iraq stayed in the 1990s without stepping on Bush s face The mosaic was removed when Baghdad was captured on 9 April 2003 4 5 Her death was met with an angry response in Baghdad 6 Her sister Suad al Attar is also an artist who now lives and works in London Legacy EditThe character Layal in the play Nine Parts of Desire is based on Al Attar 7 Author Heather Raffo stated that she saw a painting by Al Attar in an art gallery and was curious about it This inspired her to write the play While the Al Attar character is central in it the character is written as fictional and does not depict any specific relation to the real Layla Al Attar 7 Kris Kristofferson dedicated and wrote a song about Al Attar called The Circle which appears on his live album Broken Freedom Song Live from San Francisco In the live introduction to the song on that CD Kristofferson explains that it covers both the death of Layla Al Attar and the problem of Los desaparecidos the Argentines who disappeared They were secretly arrested and murdered by the Argentinian dictatorial government He states that he linked the two as examples of governments taking no responsibility for the deaths of non combatants Marta Gomez later covered the song on a tribute album The Pilgrim A celebration of Kris Kristofferson 8 adding a verse in Spanish Untitled painting by al AttarSee also EditIraqi art Islamic art List of Iraqi artistsReferences Edit Nusair Isis The Cultural Costs of the 2003 US Led Invasion of Iraq A Conversation with Art Historian Nada Shabout Feminist Studies vol 39 no 1 2013 pp 119 148 JSTOR www jstor org stable 23719300 Nusair I The Cultural Costs of the 2003 US Led Invasion of Iraq A Conversation with Art Historian Nada Shabout Feminist Studies Vol 39 No 1 2013 p 128 Online Romanska Magda Trauma and testimony Heather Raffo s 9 Parts of Desire Alif Journal of Comparative Poetics no 30 2010 p 211 Gale Academic Onefile https link gale com apps doc A229226870 AONE u cuny laguardia amp sid AONE amp xid 9cbb7f55 Accessed 14 Dec 2019 Pope H Artist s Rendering After Painter Dies A Myth is Born in Insular Iraq Baghdadis Believe Ms Attar Was Target of US Missiles Asian Wall Street Journal June 3 2002 Online Cockburn Patrick April 20 2016 Mission creep Baghdad after the fall of Saddam Hussein The Independent Retrieved July 8 2019 Raid on Baghdad The Iraqi Capital On Baghdad Streets Angry Demands for Revenge The New York Times Reuters June 28 2003 Retrieved July 8 2019 a b Sandler Lauren An American and Her Nine Iraqi Sisters The New York Times October 17 2004 Retrieved on April 13 2014 Marta Gomez De dulce by Carles Gracia Escarp 21 06 2013 for cancioneros com Accessed online using Google Translate on June 25 2015 External links EditLayla Al Attar at Iraqiart com digital archive of reproductions of artworks many of which were stolen or damaged during the 2203 lootings and not accessible via any other reliable public source Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Layla Al Attar amp oldid 1096586581, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
