Artists
2006 Fundraiser

Leila C. Kubba

Leila Kubba was born in Amara, Iraq and educated in Baghdad; she graduated with a National Diploma of Art and Design from the Manchester College of Art and Architecture and also studied at the Corcoran College of Art in Washington DC.

She has participated in exhibitions across the world, including solo exhibitions at Leighton House in London, England; the Magna Gallery in Athens, Greece; the Atrium of International Monetary Fund as well as the Alif Gallery in Washington, DC. Her work is also featured at the cultural centers in Abu Dhabi, Amman, and a variety of touring exhibition across the United States. Her works are in private and public collections internationally, including the Abu Dhabi Cultural center, Jordan National Gallery and the British Museum. Currently, Ms. Kubba lives and works creatively in Washington DC. You can access her work at www.leilakubba.com.

Najwa Al-Amin

Najwa Al-Amin was born and raised in Baghdad and lived in the capital until the late 1990s. As a child, she traveled with her father, who is one of her mentors and a strong influence, to Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon and United Arab Emirates. It was her late father, Mohamed Jasim al-Amin, an Iraqi poet who introduced her to the milieu of art and literature when Najwa was sixteen. Her other mentor is the Iraqi artist, Nathira al-Kuttab, who now lives in Spain.

Ms. Al-Amin earned an Engineering degree from the University of Baghdad, and later studied art at the Academy of fine Arts of Baghdad University. In 2004 Ms. Al-Amin contributed to a project benefiting “Partners in conflicts and partners in peace building” for The University of Maryland's Center for International Development and Conflict Management. Ms. Al-Amin resides in the Baltimore metropolitan area.

Hussain Alwan

Hussain Alwan was born in Khanaqen, Iraq on January 17, 1960. From 1975 to 1980, he studied the arts at the Institute of Fine Arts in Baghdad, Iraq. He worked as an art teacher in the public schools in Diyalaa, Iraqi from 1981 to 1993. Mr. Alwan left Iraq in 1993, and went on to practice theatrical arts and broadcasting in Jordan. Currently, he holds a broadcaster position with US international Broadcasting Middle- East Television Network, Radio Sawa.

Siham Yousef Aluzri

Siham is a well-known Iraqi artist for her creative work of artistic reproduction of ancient Babylonian and Mesopotamian royal dresses. This ability has lead her to concentrate on developing a unique taste for expanding her field of reproduction and restoration. It included old garments worn in the courts of Muslim rulers and Arabic Calligraphy and Miniature embroidery, which were typical of the ruling dynasties in Iraq. Because of Siham's creative style and knowledge, the Iraqi Design Institute appointed her as the artist in residence for reproduction and fabrication of clothing. Her production received a widely spread recognition. Some of her garments were modeled in fashion shows throughout the Middle East, Europe and North America. Most recently, she was one of the exhibitors of “Muslim Women In the Arts” (MWIA) second and third annual exhibitions in 2001 and 2002. Siham Aluzri resides in Virginia with her spouse and their children.

Khalid Al-Jamil

A Baghdad-born Iraqi, Dr. Al-Jamil’s interest in art started at a young age and he was influenced by many Iraqi artists. His work is the product of his Iraqi background, and of childhood memories in a peaceful and happy country where optimism was a part of life. He has been featured in a variety of exhibitions, including Darul Salam Center’s 2004 Exhibit: "Visions from Iraq". Dr. Al-Jamil attended college in the United States and Great Britain, where he completed his Ph.D. In 1979, he immigrated to the United States. He currently resides in the Washington, DC metropolitan area.

Ahmed Barakat

Ahmed Barakat was born in Baghdad, Iraq. Spent half of his life in different countries such as Jordon, Turkey, Syria and Yugoslavia but never missed the opportunity to continue his art education. He is currently studying Visual Media at American University with a plan of becoming a filmmaker.