Every Saturday I focus on a different artist that I admire. From potters to painters, chefs to collectors, seamstress to songwriters, lifestyle to lovers… anyone who set the paintbrush, pastry brush, hands and heart on fire to create.
Those who inspire art to flow where it may…
Ghotbaldin was born in Khanaquine in Kurdistan in 1955. He completed his training as a graphic artist at the Institute of Fine Art in Baghdad in 1975 where he was known as "Ramzi Pastel". The nickname still applies, though he mixes oil paint with pastel these days. At the publishing center at the Marta Ebraheem Azo base at Bargalu the peshmergas used a stencil technique to produce printed matter including books of poetry and novels. Ghotbaldin advised on the layout of the newspapers Al Sharara and Rebaz Neo (New Way) and contributed paintings.
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| 1964 08 canvas 30f cm |
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"In the mountains there were responsibilities to be social and involved with friends." said Ghotbaldin. But despite his clear commitment to the peshmerga cause, he felt restricted artistically.
An image of a group huddled together around a large table at night reoccurs throughout Ghotbaldin's recent paintings. "Making decisions was huge to us", says Ghotbaldin referring to his peshmerga days. He saw Raphael's "Last Supper" when he came to Europe and the image of Christ surrounded by his twelve disciples resonated with his own memories of a bonded brotherhood. However, his recollection darkens as he draws attention to the absent member, the Judas figure, and suggestion of betrayal.
Ghotbaldin describes Paris as his oxygen. His work has garnered considerable praise in France and he pulls apart a package to show us a collection of small pastel and chalk drawings intended for a gallery in Atlanta, Georgia. Ghotbaldin has deliberately cut himself loose from associations which he thinks will smother his identity as an artist in his own right. He tells a story about exhibiting at the Museum of the Arabic World in Paris, where he was asked to provide a picture for an art magazine. He refused knowing that he would be labeled as an Iraqi artist. Ghotbaldin wants his audience to come to his paintings with an open mind. He says, "I have a message, but I don't expect everyone to understand."
Contact Information:
Ramzi Ghotbaldin
66 Blvd. Mortier
Paris 75020
Atelier/Studio:
149 Rue de Bagnolet
Telephone: 06 15 92 68 93
ramzivero@wanadoo.fr
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