Hashim Hannoon

Hashim was born in 1957 in Basra, Iraq. In 1979, he graduated from the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Sculpture from the College of Fine Arts in Baghdad in 1999. He is a member of the Iraqi Artistic Forming Assembly, as well as the Babylon Assembly of French Arts. After the Iraq war broke out, Hashim spent a few transitional years in Jordan, during which his exhibitions at Dar Al-Anda were held. In 2009, he immigrated to Canada, where he continues to work and live.
Born 1957 ..In a certain sense, Hashim’s early success is closely intertwined with that of Dar Al-Anda’s. Shortly after its opening in October 1998, Dar Al-Anda hosted a solo exhibition for Hashim, the first exhibition of any kind to ever occur at the gallery. Drawing on the success of his first solo exhibition at Dar Al-Anda, Hashim went on to hold a second one in 2001.
 In the following decade, Hashim went on to achieve acclaim in the Middle East, and later on in North America.
Art critic Khalid Khudayer describes Hashim Hannoon as a realist and an abstract expressionist. Hannoon’s style of abstraction, according to Khudayer,  captures the “golden medium”, the perfect balance between form and color. The abstract paintings of Hashim Hannon spring from a unique place that is heavily influenced by the hardships of war. The painful memories of war are brought into the light and given the power to bring hope. Though they are born from tragedy and sorrow, Hashim’s works exemplify the rule of finding “positivity in negativity” since they radiate optimism with an overwhelming vitality.
Thematically, Hannoon seeks harmony with his surroundings by depicting them through his colorful lens. Since relocating to Canada, the concept of the city has become a prevalent theme in his paintings. These recent canvases invite the viewer to experience Hashim’s vision by capturing the essence of community and how it enriches the city, as opposed to painting a mere, literal portrait of a metropolis.