Bassem Hamad al-Dawiri

Who was Bassem Hamad al-Dawiri?

Bassem Hamad al-Dawiri was an Iraqi sculptor and artist. He helped create a Baghdad artist association, called the "Survivors' Group" following the fall of the Saddam Hussein government in 2003.

Al-Dawiri was born in Iraq. He was a 1993 graduate of Baghdad College of Arts.

Bassem Hamad al-Dawiri co-founded an artist association, called the "Survivors' Group," following the ouster of Saddam Hussein during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. The group has erected a number of statues throughout Baghdad, despite the violence.

Al-Dawiri's most famous work came after the overthrow of Saddam Hussein. On April 9, 2003, crowds of Iraqis, aided by United States Marines, toppled a massive statue of Saddam Hussein in Firdos Square, located in the heart of Baghdad. Pictures of the destruction of the statue, which depicted Saddam in a suit with his right arm outstretched, were aired on news broadcasts worldwide. Iraqis were jubilantly seen hitting the statue with their shoes and throwing garbage at Saddam's likeness.

Bassem Hamad al-Dawiri was asked by Iraq's interim authorities to erect a new sculpture in Firdos Square less than one month after the destruction of the Saddam statue.