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On Friday 27th December, the Creative Roots team began to explore their second theme: Abbasid Art. Following on from the previous activities with the Game of Ur, it was clear that our community sought experiential ways of engaging with Iraqi heritage and culture, not simply PowerPoint and lectures. We took learning onto the streets before they took it into their hands.
The Rusafa area of Baghdad still retains hidden treasures of the late Abbasid period, their patterned walls and doorways just waiting for those who wish to find them. Meeting in the morning, twenty participants who had a shared passion for Iraqi history and art met before heading to Qasr Abbasi under the guidance of a local photographer and heritage activist Laith Salman. Participants ranged from 10 to 60 years old, and had joined from across Baghdad, Babylon, Najaf, and Diyala, all keen to explore Abbasid art face-to-face. Starting off with a treasure hunt, participants were invited to look for themselves to discover the different patterns at the Abbasid Palace whilst diving deeper into the connection of mathematics, shape, and the universe through the artistic reliefs. The session offered a guided experience where participants could explore the site in detail and in person, digging at the curiosity that they found. For all of them, this was their first time exploring the site!
Looking closely at the cascading maqurnas, iwans, and chambers with their varied arabesque and geometric patterns, participants were invited to not only look around them but also upwards to see how the spaces connected beyond built spaces. How art reflected the divine and imperial majesty of the Abbasid Caliphs.
Following the tour, participants headed to the hall of Dr Luma in Adhamiyah to explore how Abbasid art also featured animals, humans, and mythological beasts and decorated the walls of the palaces of Samarra, a contrast to the beige-coloured patterns of the walls of the Abbasid Palace in Baghdad. Rich reds, blues, and gold can be seen through pigments found on images of shepherds, dancers, and animals. The Creative Roots team led by Ali Raad and Mohammed Sobhe, discussed with the participants what could an Abbasid colour palette look like, to bring that time back to life. They looked into the creative impact it would have centuries later as Arabesque patterns fuelled British design in the Victorian period through the work of William Morris and William de Morgan, highlighting the longevity and breadth of Baghdad's artistic legacy.
Armed with insights and experience, the participants now got the chance to add their own part to the legacy. Sketching patterns inspired by the Abbasid Palace, some recreating beautifully delicate images that they saw on the walls, whilst others wanted to create modern renditions of Abbasid motifs - everyone got the chance to get creative. Creative Roots was always planned to be participatory, a chance to engage directly with the past, and we were delighted to see how our community experienced history hands-on before interpreting for themselves. Their work will be presented in a final exhibition later this year alongside other projects.
History needs people to participate, to engage so that it can be preserved for future generations, and we were so delighted to see that this session was in demand and that the participants as much as we did. Creative Roots is part of the TARII Heritage Grant Program with funding from the JM Kaplan Foundation and implemented in collaboration with Creative Iraq. The Creative Iraq team would also like to thank Dr Luma for her support for this workshop and appreciate her assistance. Whilst the arabesque journey may be over for now, we still have some exciting new sessions coming up soon exploring Mesopotamian symbols and icons, as well as the tales of 1001 Nights. Stay tuned for more updates soon!
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