Google Doodle celebrates Naziha Salim today

Google’s Doodle today paid homage to Salim’s painting style and long history of contributions to the art world by paying homage to her Doodle artwork.

She was one of Iraq’s most influential contemporary artists and a painter herself, Naziha Salim. Iraqi women and peasant life are frequently depicted in her work, which is known for its bold brushstrokes and vibrant colours. The Barjeel Art Foundation featured Naziha Salim in their collection of female artists on this date in 2020.

Salim, who comes from a long line of Iraqi artists, was born in Turkey and raised there as a child. Her mother was an accomplished embroider and her father was a painter. Aside from Jawad, who is widely considered one of Iraq’s most influential sculptors, all three of her brothers worked in the arts. She had a natural talent for creating her own art from a young age.

At the Baghdad Fine Arts Institute, Salim studied painting and received a high degree of achievement in her field. She was one of the first women to be awarded a scholarship to the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris for her dedication and love of art. Salim concentrated on fresco and mural painting while in Paris. During her post-graduation travels, she immersed herself in the art and culture of the countries she visited.

Salim eventually made her way back to Baghdad, where she taught art at the Fine Arts Institute until she retired. A member of Al-Ruwwad, an Iraqi community of artists who study abroad and incorporate European art techniques into their country’s aesthetic, she was a prominent figure in Iraq’s art scene. Salim went on to write Iraq: Contemporary Art, which was a significant contribution to Iraq’s modern art movement at the time.

The Sharjah Art Museum and the Modern Art Iraqi Archive both display Naziha Salim’s work. The magic she created with dripping brushes and brimmed canvases is there for the taking.