Painter
Afifa Aleiby
Born in Basra, Iraq, in 1952, Afifa Aleiby is a renowned Iraqi artist currently based in the Netherlands. She began her artistic journey at the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad, where she also worked as an illustrator for the Iraqi press. In 1974, she moved to the Soviet Union to specialize in monumental art at the prestigious Surikov Institute in Moscow.
Due to political circumstances, Aleiby was unable to return to Iraq after completing her studies. Instead, she traveled to Italy and Moscow before settling in Yemen, where she taught at the Institute of Fine Arts in Aden and illustrated children’s books and magazines.
Now residing in the Netherlands, Aleiby remains deeply involved in cultural and activist initiatives, supporting the Iraqi and international democratic movement against terrorism, war, racism, and dictatorship. Her art reflects a profound connection to humanity, transcending cultural and geographical boundaries.
Aleiby’s work blends influences from Renaissance painting, religious iconography, and social realism, with the female figure as a central motif, symbolizing beauty, politics, and society. She has exhibited extensively worldwide, with notable showcases in Baghdad, Moscow, Yemen, Italy, Syria, Lebanon, England, and the United States, including at MoMA PS1 and Kristin Hjellegjerde Gallery in London. Her works have also been featured at major art auctions.
