Details of a page from a notebook belonging to Shakir Hassan Al Said. Al Said family collection. Courtesy of Makou magazine.

 

The defense is open to the public, both in person and remotely, via the following Zoom link.

PhD Defense

Écrire sur l’art en Irak au XXe siècle : élaboration d’une critique, d’une historiographie et d’un monde de l’art (1922-1972)

Zouina Ait Slimani

6.7.24, Espace Colladon, 14:00

 

We are delighted to announce that our esteemed colleague, Zouina Ait Slimani, will be defending her thesis on 6 July 2024 at 14:00 in Espace Colladon, University of Geneva.

The title of her thesis is “Écrire sur l’art en Irak au XXe siècle : élaboration d’une critique, d’une historiographie et d’un monde de l’art (1922-1972),” and it provides an in-depth exploration of art criticism in Iraq.

 

This thesis highlights the central role of art criticism in Iraq's cultural development, revealing the richness of its artistic creation and its connections to art history. Through an analysis of texts produced in Iraq in the 20th Century, it emphasizes the importance of institutions, exhibitions, and key figures such as Jamil Hamoudi, Jabra Ibrahim Jabra, Shakir Hassan Al Said, and Mahmoud Sabri in shaping artistic discourses. During times of conflict and change, art criticism has been instrumental in the emergence of modern Iraqi art as a pillar of national identity. Enriched by transcultural and transdisciplinary dialogues, this art reflects the country's social and political dynamics. The assembled corpus provides an exhaustive analysis of critical texts, highlighting their role in the development and dissemination of modern Iraqi art.

 

The defense will be conducted before an esteemed jury, including:

  • Prof. Bruce Fudge, Jury president (University of Geneva) 

  • Prof. Silvia Naef, PhD Thesis supervisor (University of Geneva) 

  • Prof. Alain Messaoudi, PhD Thesis supervisor (University of Nantes) 

  • Prof. Nadia Radwan (University of Bern) 

  • Dr. Caecilia Pieri (French Institute of the Near East) 


We encourage all of you to join us in supporting Zouina during her thesis defense. Your presence will be greatly appreciated as we celebrate this milestone in her academic journey.