Abu dhabi: The NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery has reopened the exhibition “Diverse Experiences: The Legacy of the Baghdad Group for Modern Art,” extending it until January 3. Curated by Nada Shabout, the exhibition coincides with the launch of a new program of public events for the fall season.

According to National Iraqi News Agency, the extension offers the public a second opportunity to explore the work of the Baghdad Group for Modern Art, founded in 1951 by Jawad Salim and Shaker Hassan Al Said. The exhibition includes paintings, sculptures, works on paper, and extensive archival materials, tracing the group’s development in creating a new visual language rooted in Iraq’s artistic and cultural heritage. It also highlights the group’s enduring influence on generations of Iraqi artists both within Iraq and in the diaspora.

Maya Allison, Executive Director of the NYU Abu Dhabi Art Gallery and Chief Curator at the university, expressed delight in reopening the exhibition and extending its run. She emphasized the opportunity for the public to engage with this important collection of works and research, especially as the Abu Dhabi art scene is undergoing developments with the upcoming opening of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi. Nada Shabout has curated artworks and archival materials that illuminate a pivotal chapter in the history of modern Arab art while tracing its enduring influence on Iraqi artists today.

The fall public events will delve deeper into the exhibition’s themes, including the Baghdad Group for Modern Art’s approach to heritage and the role of archives in documenting modern Arab art history. Topics will also cover alternative concepts of modernity in the region and contributions and experiences of female artists. The program features a screening of the film “From Istanbul to Cairo: A Thousand Forms of Modernity,” followed by a discussion.

On October 8th, the Art Gallery will present a special screening of the documentary “From Istanbul to Cairo: A Thousand Forms of Modernity,” directed by Elana Navarro. The film examines how artists in the region developed alternative forms of modernity in the late 19th and 20th centuries.