BASSIM MEHDI

Biography

Bassem Mehdi has Masters Degree in Art and Design from London Metropolitan University in 2008.

During his long continuous journey spent on artistic research and developed his artist talent after his successful achievement throw his academic study in Baghdad and participation in many exhibitions enabled him to establish his fine art Office called (SHANASHEEL) Baghdad in 1991, which was the    important offices that work in the field of fine art until the mid-nineties.

He subsequently started his journey outside Iraq enabling him to participated with a number of artists to establish ( Rajaha Association ) for Art and Design in Jordan 1995.

Afterwards, he worked as a painter and designer with the Arab Academy for Financial Sciences in Jordan, his artworks that mixed between Arabic calligraphy and the Islamic architecture with a unique character, has been invested in producing a lot of special publications for that Academy.

Beginning of this century it was new experience with Europe culture and arts and he had the opportunity to finish his Master degree in Art and Design when he moved to live in Britain, which his residence since 2002 resulted to establishment many exhibitions and participation and deferent artistic projects, In 2002 he settled in Britain to work in his speciality with graphic design and was the first to participate in a global and international exhibition created by the New Art Gallery for modern art in Birmingham. He was praised in his active participation and the help in the organization of the exhibition. He continued to work in the organizing of exhibitions, artistic social activities and festivals. This was in cooperation with a number of known associations such as Islamic Expo for the years 2006 and 2008. In this festival Bassim exhibited his art work in the section of Knowledge Zone where many of his drawings were portraits of historical figures in the Arabic and Islamic civilization

The latest project is: founding the Iraqi Artist Association to allow Iraqi Artist to keep in touch with each other.

This was one of his concerns in creating communication between artists, reflecting his desire for collective action, these ongoing projects has met with his artistic vision,

that says: Art is a human activity and conscious renewed whereby the transfer of sensory and emotional experiences of the artist to others by the artistic production, which should be based on the power of recall experience, whether it is a reflection of real events or were fabricated of pure imagination.

After his extensive experience in teaching in the field of art while managing the Fine Arts Association and organising various art exhibitions and art workshops, Bassim achieved his dream in academic teaching through the establishment of the Academy of Arts and Arab Heritage in London.

This academy became the first Arab institution in Europe, which achieved a great reputation during the first year of activities, courses and other artistic projects that were launched to develop the Arabic community's skills and talents in the diaspora. Currently, he runs this academy which continues to offer and provide unique artistic courses and activities through a cadre of Arabic artists.