Golden age images of Iraq by ‘the father of Iraqi photography’

by **GirlBye** Thu Nov 22, 2018 11:17 pm

Enlarge this image Click to see fullsize
Golden age images of Iraq by ‘the father of Iraqi photography’ CDHROZMPRA3TNA2VTZW46MZZMA

Riqq player in the north of Iraq. (Latif Al-Ani courtesy of the Arab Image Foundation)

Enlarge this image Click to see fullsize
Golden age images of Iraq by ‘the father of Iraqi photography’ Z3M3XDWYUE7QRAFN7T7UYPNAEY

Golden age images of Iraq by ‘the father of Iraqi photography’ Z3M3XDWYUE7QRAFN7T7UYPNAEY

Construction for the Darbandikhan water supply pipeline project, Baghdad 1961. (Latif Al-Ani courtesy of the Arab Image Foundation)

Latif Al-Ani holds the reputation as being the founding “father of Iraqi photography,” known for his images of urban life in Iraq in the 1950s to 1970s. He also extensively photographed the booming oil industry, starting when he joined the photography staff at Iraq Petroleum Co.’s Arabic-version magazine, Ahl al-Naft (People of Oil).

“My first assignment was to photograph the then-king of Iraq, King Faisal, during an event. From there I went on to photograph all of the oil refineries in Iraq, Syria and Lebanon,” Al-Ani said in an interview with In Sight.

He noted how Iraq changed after the discovery of oil.

“This discovery led to jobs and developments in infrastructure, education, health care and the arts, and was reflected in the culture and life of Iraqi people,” Al-Ani said.

Al-Ani’s work is on display in an exhibition with 16 other artists, titled “Crude.” It is described as work that explores “oil as an agent of social, cultural and economic transformation, as well as a driver of geo-political upheaval.”

New York-based exhibition curator Murtaza Vali told In Sight that though the images Al-Ani produced for the Iraq Petroleum Co. were originally intended for a Western audience, they trained local artists to produce company propaganda in Arabic that was relatable to local and regional audiences.

Vali highlighted the importance of Al-Ani’s photographs to the visual history of Iraq.

Quote :“In my estimation, parts of this visual archive, and especially Al Ani’s photographs, serve as an important visual repertoire through which the people of a newly independent and fast changing Iraq, came to see themselves and their nation as modern. The selection of images I chose for the exhibition highlight some of these changes like: the urban transformation of Baghdad from an Ottoman city of crowded bazaars and winding narrow alleys to a modern city with broad automobile-filled avenues and modernist skyscrapers and mass housing projects.”

Al-Ani notes that his photographs are not the kind of images people are used to seeing from Iraq in present times, and hopes that his work could encourage another such renaissance in the country.

Quote :“I wanted to show our heritage against our present, the contrast between past and present, where we had arrived in comparison with the past. For me, photography is preserving the moment for future generations. I think viewers are surprised or shocked when they see my photographs in contrast to what they see of Iraq today. I hope that they make people think and feel the pain we feel, and get inspired to help Iraq have another ‘golden age.’ ”

Enlarge this image Click to see fullsize
Golden age images of Iraq by ‘the father of Iraqi photography’ XQD72ZA2LE7R7IGVG4Q4CO5T5Y

Golden age images of Iraq by ‘the father of Iraqi photography’ XQD72ZA2LE7R7IGVG4Q4CO5T5Y

View of Rashid Street and the Mirjan Mosque, Baghdad 1963. (Latif Al-Ani courtesy of the Arab Image Foundation)

Enlarge this image Click to see fullsize
Golden age images of Iraq by ‘the father of Iraqi photography’ SURTYWPXQQ6NJINHDDFSHRDWLA

Golden age images of Iraq by ‘the father of Iraqi photography’ SURTYWPXQQ6NJINHDDFSHRDWLA

Mealtime at a school, Baghdad, 1961. (Latif Al-Ani courtesy of the Arab Image Foundation)

Enlarge this image Click to see fullsize
Golden age images of Iraq by ‘the father of Iraqi photography’ BPUX5XRJKE6SZJJHZ657HBMGSQ

Golden age images of Iraq by ‘the father of Iraqi photography’ BPUX5XRJKE6SZJJHZ657HBMGSQ

Aerial view of a housing project in the Yarmouk neighborhood, Baghdad 1961. (Latif Al-Ani courtesy of the Arab Image Foundation)

Enlarge this image Click to see fullsize
Golden age images of Iraq by ‘the father of Iraqi photography’ 4MZI5UF6OY77TD2RBD7KFBOHXE

Golden age images of Iraq by ‘the father of Iraqi photography’ 4MZI5UF6OY77TD2RBD7KFBOHXE

“Mother,” a sculpture by Khalid Al-Rahal, Baghdad 1961. (Latif Al-Ani courtesy of the Arab Image Foundation)

Enlarge this image Click to see fullsize
Golden age images of Iraq by ‘the father of Iraqi photography’ G4BCAKICHQ4BLC66QJTZV5KB5I

Golden age images of Iraq by ‘the father of Iraqi photography’ G4BCAKICHQ4BLC66QJTZV5KB5I

Accordion player, Baghdad 1960. (Latif Al-Ani courtesy of the Arab Image Foundation)

Enlarge this image Click to see fullsize
Golden age images of Iraq by ‘the father of Iraqi photography’ FWL44LBXXI3LDM77TFB2BKCF4Y

Golden age images of Iraq by ‘the father of Iraqi photography’ FWL44LBXXI3LDM77TFB2BKCF4Y

Tire repair, Baghdad 1958. (Latif Al-Ani courtesy of the Arab Image Foundation)

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-sight/wp/2018/11/22/golden-age-images-of-iraq-by-the-father-of-iraqi-photography/?utm_term=.b42d469a67d4