“Iraqi Art Now” is a collection of paintings, sculpture, drawings and prints by 32 Iraqi artists, many of whom live in Europe and North America, and some of whom are living in their native country.

According to Louise Lincoln, director of the art gallery, the works in “Iraqi Art Now” comment both on the rich past and turbulent present of the artists’ homeland. The Fertile Crescent, between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, was one of the great centers of ancient civilization; today Iraq’s geopolitical role and rich oil reserves make it a contested region. With Iraq in the news, “the exhibition puts names, faces and lives of the people of Iraq in front of us,” explained Lincoln. “It reminds us to think not only of Iraq, but also of Iraqis.”

The exhibition – organized by Maysaloun Faraj, an Iraqi artist and curator – was first shown in 1999 at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London. In addition to the curator, many of the artists included in the exhibition are female evidence that life for women in Iraq is relatively unconstrained.

Many of the artists in the exhibit studied at the Fine Arts Academy in Baghdad, one of the most prominent art institutions in the Middle East. “While it drew some inspiration from European examples and taught Western media, such as oil painting, the academy also sought to develop styles and approaches that were distinctly Iraqi,” explained Lincoln.

“Iraqi Art Now” possesses striking diversity, and, according to Lincoln, the range in expression can be traced to an array of political and religious influences. The exhibition contains works from artists who are Muslim, Christian, Kurdish and Assyrian. Some of the images are highly abstract, while others are strongly representational. Some of the pieces allude to Iraq’s rich history and archeology, others make reference to contemporary political issues and still others are intensely personal.

The political climate in the country has caused a number of artists, as well as writers and scholars, to leave Iraq for other countries. Most of the artists live in Western Europe, with two or three currently residing in the United States, and five still in Baghdad. “Some of the work has strong political themes,” observed Lincoln. “The artists who have remained in Iraq, isolated from opportunities for travel and communication with the rest of the world and working under difficult conditions, have developed a form of expression distinct from their compatriots outside.” An opening reception for “Iraqi Art Now” will be held at 5 p.m. Jan. 10 in Kelly Hall, just outside the gallery, which is located in the Richardson Library. The reception and exhibition are free and open to the public. DePaul also is planning programming around the exhibition, which will include lectures, readings and films that will provide a deeper context in which to understand the works.

The DePaul Art Gallery hours are: Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Friday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. For more information about this exhibition and related programs, call 773/325-7506 or visit the gallery’s Web site at www.depaul.edu/~gallery.