Sharjah Art Museum retrospective pays tribute to ‘Picasso of Iraq’ Ismail Khayat

Ismail Khayat, who died aged 78 last month, was among the most daring, creative and influential Middle Eastern artists of the 21st century. Dubbed the “Grandfather of Kurdish Art” and the “Picasso of Iraq”, the self-taught master from Iraqi Kurdistan transcended the boundaries of form and tradition, creating new modes of expression — all the while, teaching successive generations of creatives.

Over the course of six decades, Khayat built a reputation as one of the greats of Iraqi modern artists. Demonstrating tremendous depth and range, he…