Shafaq News

With a brush dipped in love and colors infused with hope, Iraqi artist Alaa Awfi, born in 1964 in Babil’s al-Mahawil district, has transformed his home, garden, and the walls of his city into an open-air gallery of beauty — painting and giving away his artwork to anyone who deserves a moment of joy.

Alaa, a 1988 graduate of the Fine Arts Academy in Babil and now a schoolteacher, discovered his passion for painting as a child, when he used to fill his notebooks with doodles before honing his skills academically and mastering his own artistic techniques.

He developed a distinctive method of oil painting on Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) after finding that glass failed to produce the desired shine and texture. The technique required patience and precision but gave his paintings a striking visual depth.

“In a city where public art remains rare and most artists struggle to find exhibition spaces, I wanted people to see beauty every day,” Alaa told Shafaq News. “I don’t paint just to decorate walls; I paint to plant happiness in people’s hearts.”

Over the years, Alaa has created more than a thousand works and offered them freely to friends, acquaintances, and people who have struggled through life without recognition.

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In a province with only two formal art galleries and where most exhibitions are concentrated in Baghdad, his open-air initiative has become a grassroots alternative. Locals estimate that more than 300 of his murals now brighten walls across al-Mahawil and central Babil — making his project one of the largest individual art efforts in the region.

Some of his paintings have reached Europe through friends, and he has received invitations to exhibit abroad — offers he declined. The internet became his window to the world, allowing him to observe details of nature and animals he had never seen before — eagles, ocean scenes — which now feature prominently in his art.

With the cost of art materials in Iraq rising by more than 60% since 2020, many local artists have scaled back production. A single 200ml tube of oil paint can cost up to $15 — nearly half a day’s salary for a public-school teacher — yet Alaa continues to paint daily, funding his materials from his modest income.

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Residents say his murals have transformed the mood of their neighborhood, drawing visitors who stop to photograph his colorful walls and calling him “the artist of joy.” Some nearby cafés featuring his works have even reported higher foot traffic since his paintings appeared.

Despite the challenges, Alaa remains undeterred. His home and garden have become a permanent exhibition space, and the walls of nearby markets and shops continue to display his message of humanity.

“Life won’t last forever,” he reflected, “but a kind imprint will remain.”

Written and edited by Shafaq News staff.