ARMY AT FOREST
oil on canvas
87.5 x 77cm; 34 1/2 x 30 1/4in
96 x 85.5cm; 37 3/4 x 33 3/4in (framed)

Executed in 1977

Property of a private collector, Texas

Provenance
Acquired directly from the artist by Michael William Palmer
Thence by descent to the present owner

Michael William Palmer was an American civil engineer working for Acres International, a Canadian engineering firm, when he received the assignment to travel to Iraq in 1976. During his four years as an expatriate, he primarily oversaw construction of electrical substations and transmission lines across Iraq, including Khor Al Zubair, Al Diwaniyah, Baghdad, and Al-Qa’im. While working in Iraq, Mr Palmer became greatly impressed with the skill and inspiration of
Iraqi artists. He attended many art exhibitions and numerous studios, developing personal friendships with the artists whose works he acquired. He carefully documented all the works in his collection and kept notes of his personal encounters with the artists he collected, which provide a valuable insight into the history of the collection.

Amer Al Obaidi is a prominent Iraqi-born painter known for blending Arabian folklore with modern themes. Born in Najaf into a large, wealthy, Muslim family, his talent was recognised in childhood, leading him to earn a BA in Fine Arts from Baghdad University in 1969. He gained international acclaim early, winning first place at a festival in Ibiza, Spain, at age 22.

Throughout his career, Al Obaidi was a key figure in the Iraqi art scene as a member of the influential group Al-Mujadidin (The Innovationists) whose notable members included Salman Abbas, Salim al-Dabbagh, Salem al-Jumai'e, Faeq Hassan, Nida Kadhim and Talib Makk. He held several high-ranking administrative roles, serving as the Director of the National Museum of Modern Art in Baghdad (1973–1983) and later as Iraq's General Director of Fine Arts. During a three-year stint teaching in Saudi Arabia, he also designed a major wall carpet for the King Abdulaziz International Airport. He now resides in Iowa, United States.

Al Obaidi’s work places a great deal of emphasis on Arabian folklore in general, and Iraqi tradition in particular. A recurring element in his paintings is the Arabian horse. He also paints works depicting his personal experiences of life in a war-torn land in an effort to alert audiences to the suffering endured by local people under the hands of the foreign occupiers.