Hanaa Mallalah studied Fine Art in Baghdad with an emphasis on graphics and painting. In 2005 her thesis concerning the logic order in Mesopotamian drawing gained her a PhD in the Philosophy of Painting. She has taught and lectured widely at a several faculties of the University of Fine Arts in Baghdad. At the end of 2006 she left Iraq for an artist residency at the Institute du Monde Arabe in Paris and from there followed the call of a fellowship offered by SOAS in London in 2008. She currently holds a fellowship at the Chelsea College of Art in London. Her work graces numerous private collections, art centres and museums, including the Centre for Modern Art, Baghdad, the Jordan National Museum Amman, The British Museum, The Arab Museum of Modern Art, Doha, The Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharja.
Hanaa Malallah is internationally acclaimed for her material-focused practice and her philosophical/spiritual explorations into the nature of being and not being. She lives and works in London.
“To physically taste war is completely different than to experience it second-hand. The first lesson taught by physically tasting war is that ruination is the essence of all being: Death has no meaning and anything solid can be reduced to nothing in seconds. The learning of this process of vanishing, this morphing of matter to dust, of something into nothing, has led me to conclude that ruination, or destruction is hidden de facto in the phenomenon of figuration. Thus, for the last five years I have explored the space located between figuration and abstraction, between existing and vanishing, a concept which for me also holds deep spiritual meaning.”
EDUCATION
2008 - Post Graduate Certificate In Islamic & Modern Art: SOAS University (Art & Archaeology Dept) & Certificate in Academic English (Reading & Writing) & Delivering seminar (Ruins Technique in Contemporary Iraqi Art).
2005 - PHD / Doctorate degree in the Philosophy of Painting: Baghdad University The title of my thesis is Logic Order in Ancient Mesopotamian painting.
2000 - MA in Painting: Baghdad University
1988 - BA in Painting: Academy of Fine Arts, Baghdad
1979 - Diploma in Graphic Art: Institute of Fine Arts, Baghdad
AWARDS
1984 - 1985 - Prize of Arab Organization of Education, Culture & Sciences
1991 - First Prize in Painting / The Eighth Festival of Al-Wasiti
1991 - Honorary Award from Artists Union
1991 - Honorary / Ain Gallery – Baghdad
2002 - Honorary Award/ The South Lebanese Cultural Council
MUSEUM AQUISITIONS
Centre for Arts/ Baghdad
The Royal Jordanian Museum
The British Museum
Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern A
100.8.5.30.30.1.4.20.6.50.1
100.8.5.30.30.1.4.20.6.50.1
Camouflage 3
Camouflage 3
Chair
Chair
Daylight II
Daylight II
Abstract Figurative
Abstract Figurative
Mysticism II
Mysticism II
Omen
Omen
Shroud IV
Shroud IV
V and PV
V and PV
Ashes
Ashes
Chair
Chair
Grave Beat
Grave Beat
Mesopotamiarythem
Mesopotamiarythem
The Survivor
The Survivor
Solo Exhibitions
2016 – Biohazard, DOLPH projects, London
2014 – Works on Paper, The Park Gallery, London
2013 – The Park Gallery, London
2012 – Inception Gallery, Paris
2009 – Vivid Ruins, The Mosaic Rooms, Qattan Foundation, London
2006 – Albareh Art Gallery, Bahrain
2005 – Anda Gallery, Amman
2002 – Anda Gallery, Amman
1999 – Drawing, Athar Gallery, Baghdad
1998 – Schedules and Signals, Athar Gallery, Baghdad
1996 – Icons of Environment, Hiwar Art Gallery, Baghdad
1995 – Abaad Gallery, Amman
1994 – Pursuing the Trace, Atelier Nadhar, Baghdad
1993 – Baghdad: Geography People Symbols, Centre for Arts, Baghdad
1991 – Museum Visits Documents, Centre for Arts, Baghdad
Art Fairs
2015 – Abu Dhabi Art Fair
2015 – Art15, London
2014 – Art14, London
2013 – Abu Dhabi Art Fair
2013 – Scope Basel Art Fair
2012 – Abu Dhabi Art Fair
2010 – Dubai Art Fair
Group Exhibitions
2014 – Reflections of War, Flowers, London
2014 – A Tribute to Rafa Nasiri, Nabha Gallery, Amman
2013 – Meem Gallery, Dubai
2013 – Contemporary Art Platform, Kuwait
2013 – Ten Year After: Reflections on the Invasion of Iraq, Project and exhibition, Chelsea College of Arts & Design London University, London
2012 – Iraq: How, Where, for Whom? with Kennardphillips, Qattan Foundation, The Mosaic Rooms, London
2011 – Swiss Re (Gherkin), London
2011 – Barjeel Art Foundation, Sharjah
2011 – Art in Iraq Today (Conclusion Show), Meem Gallery, Dubai
2011 – Art in Iraq Today, Beirut Exhibition Centre, Beirut
2010 – Art in Iraq Today, Meem Gallery, Dudai
2010 – Beyond The War, LTMH Gallery, New York
2009 – The Recessionists, Somerset, England
2009 – Modernism and Iraq, Wallach Art Gallery, Columbia University in the City of New York
2008 – Iraqi Artist in Exile, Station Museum, USA
2008 – Iraq’s Past Speaks to the Present, British Museum
2007 – Sophisticated Ways: Distruction of an Ancient City, Ayagallery, London
2007 – Green Zone Red Zone, Gemak Den Haag, Holland
2005 – Contemporary Iraqi Book Art, UAS, Texas College
2005 – Contemporary Iraqi Exhibition, Paris
2005 – Iraqi Exhibition, East and West Foundation, Holland
2004 – Celebrating the Creativity of the Collaboration Between Iraqi Art and Literature, Frankfurt
2004 – Homage to Shakir Hassan, Orfly Art Gallery, Amman
2003 – Miniatures of Iraqi Art, Dijlah Gallery, Baghdad
2003 – The Hundredth, Hiwar Gallery, Baghdad
2003 – Before. After. Now, Deluxe Gallery, Hoxton Square, London
2003 – Women Artists from the Islamic Wold, Spain, UNESCO Paris
2003 – Tawashujat: Between Poet and Artists, The Jordan National Gallery of FineArts, Amman
2003 – Expressions of Hope: Iraqi Art, Ayagallery, London
2002 – Contemporary Iraqi Art in China
2002 – Baghdad International Festival for Contemporary Art
2002 – Conference of Creative Arab Women, Tunisia
2000 – Strokes of Genius: Contemporary Iraqi Art, Brunei Gallery, London
2000 – Contemporary Iraqi Art, Institute du Monde Arabe, Paris
2000 – Significance of Experimentation, Baghdad Gallery, Baghdad
2000 – Co-Exhibition, Ghassan Ghaeb and Kareem Risan, Ather Gallary, Baghdad
Museum Acquisitions
Centre for Arts, Baghdad
The Royal Jordanian Museum
The British Museum
Mathaf Arab Museum of Modern Art
Barjeel Art Foundation
