June 21 – October 19, 2025
Hessel Museum of Art, Bard College, New York
The Farjam Foundation is proud to sponsor the groundbreaking exhibition All Manner of Experiments: Legacies of the Baghdad Modern Art Group, currently on view at the Hessel Museum of Art at Bard College’s Center for Curatorial Studies. This is the first major exhibition in the United States dedicated to this influential modern art movement from Iraq.
Curated by Nada Shabout, Tiffany Floyd, and Lauren Cornell, the exhibition brings together over 60 works—paintings, sculptures, and drawings—by 30 artists including Jewad Selim, Shakir Hassan Al Said, Dia al-Azzawi, and Mohammed Ghani Hikmat. In addition, the show features rare archival materials such as artist-designed brochures, exhibition posters, manifestos, and historic newsreels, offering a rare glimpse into Iraq’s vibrant postcolonial cultural scene.
The Farjam Foundation’s Contribution
As a contributing sponsor, The Farjam Foundation has lent two important works by Jewad Selim, the celebrated Iraqi modernist whose integration of Mesopotamian heritage with European modernism laid the foundation for the Baghdad Group’s philosophy. Selim’s pivotal role in co-founding the Baghdad Modern Art Group in 1951 established a generation of artists committed to the idea of istilham al-turath—seeking inspiration in heritage—while experimenting with modern form.
“We are honored to support this historic initiative and to share two key works by Jewad Selim with U.S. audiences,” a representative of The Farjam Foundation stated. “His legacy, and the broader mission of the Baghdad Group, resonates deeply with our Foundation’s commitment to preserving and promoting the artistic heritage of the Middle East.”
A Global Effort
The exhibition is a remarkable collaborative effort, with works drawn from leading institutions and private collections worldwide, including the Barjeel Art Foundation (Sharjah), the Dalloul Art Foundation (Beirut), the Ibrahimi Collection (Baghdad/Amman), Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art (Doha), and The Farjam Foundation (Dubai).
Critical Acclaim
The exhibition has been widely covered in the international press.
- The Art Newspaper praised its “scholarly depth and archival richness,” noting its success in “capturing the evolution of a movement born in the crucible of Iraq’s post-independence cultural awakening.”
- Forbes described it as “a landmark moment in the visibility of modern Arab art in the United States.”
A full catalogue accompanies the show, with essays by the curators and scholars, and a second volume is expected from the American University in Cairo Press in 2026.
Exhibition Details
Exhibition Title: All Manner of Experiments: Legacies of the Baghdad Modern Art Group
Venue: Hessel Museum of Art, Center for Curatorial Studies, Bard College, Annandale-on-Hudson, NY
Dates: June 21 – October 19, 2025
Curators: Nada Shabout, Tiffany Floyd, Lauren Cornell
Learn more: CCS Bard Exhibition Page