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A group embrace lies at the heart of this beautiful bronze piece by the Iraqi sculptor Mohamed Ghani Hikmat who was known for his love of depicting people from his homeland in his work. Arms outstretched, each protagonist is reaching forward, in circular fashion, to meet and greet their nearest and dearest. The differing heights suggest the sculptor’s subjects are parents and child, but camaraderie amongst a group of friends or even strangers taking comfort are other interpretations. The clean, curved lines so characteristic of Hikmat’s work relay the heightened emotion of his subjects as they lean towards, heads tilted and legs grounded, in search of the solace, comfort or satisfaction that physical closeness can provide.

Widely regarded as one of Iraq’s most important artists, Hikmat was born in 1929 in Baghdad. He graduated from the Institute of Fine Art in his home city, after which he moved to Rome, where he studied at the Accademia di Belle Arti and the Instituto di Zaka in Florence, specialising in casting bronze. Hikmat’s large-scale works dot public spaces around the country.

Drawing on Iraq’s heritage and history, they became iconic landmarks on the local landscape, instantly recognisable to locals and visitors alike, although some have also been damaged or destroyed in the conflict there.

Hikmat exhibited on a large scale, carving a niche as a leading light on the Iraqi art scene, while also holding several shows abroad. He also joined a number of pioneering, key art movements and groups, becoming highly respected in these organisations. In addition, he taught sculpture at the Baghdad Institute of Fine Art and the College of Architectural Engineering at the University of Baghdad. Hikmat died in 2011 in Amman, Jordan.