Walid Siti

Walid Siti was born in 1954 in the city of Duhok in Iraqi Kurdistan, an autonomous region of northern Iraq; however, Siti left Duhok in the 1970s (when the area was still ruled by Baghdad’s central government) to train as a printmaker in Slovenia at Lubjljana’s Academy of Fine Arts, where he studied from 1977-1982. After moving to London in 1984, Siti’s focus shifted to painting, and in recent years, the artist has expanded into sculptural installation.  

The major recurring motif in Siti’s works is the image of the mountain, a symbol of tradition, history, and mythology. This personal symbology derives from the artist’s upbringing in Dohuk, a city surrounded on three sides by the kind of mountainous landscapes that play a central part in Kurdish culture. For Siti, who still lives in exile in London, the mountain’s immutability serves as a counteragent for the violence, chaos, and suppression of his home country. 

Siti’s work has been shown internationally, including at London’s Leighton House Museum and in the Iraqi Pavilion at the 2011 Venice Biennale. He also participated in the 53rd International Art Exhibition in Venice and has been shown at the Martin-Gropius-Bau Museum in Berlin, the British Museum in London, and the European Parliament’s Rose Issa Projects series in Brussels. He lives and works in London.