12 Facts About Layla Al-Attar

Layla Al-Attar was an Iraqi artist and painter who became the Director of the Iraqi National Art Museum.

Layla Al-Attar graduated from the Academy of Fine Arts in Baghdad in 1965, and was among the first female graduates from that program.

Layla Al-Attar became the Director of the Center for National Art, a post she held until her death in 1993.

Layla Al-Attar held five one-woman shows in Iraq, and took part in all national and other collective exhibitions held in the country and abroad.

Layla Al-Attar took part in the Kuwait Biennial, the first Arab Biennial, the second Arab Biennial, the Kuwait Biennial, and won the Golden Sail Medal in the Cairo Biennial.

Layla Al-Attar's artwork depicted women, forests, and references to Iraqi heritage including the ancient King Gilgamesh, Mesopotamia, and the Garden of Eden which was believed to have been located in Mesopotamia.

Layla Al-Attar's sister, Suad al-Attar, is an artist who now lives and works in London.

Bush, possibly designed by Layla Al-Attar, laid onto the floor at the entrance to the Al-Rashid Hotel in Baghdad.

Additionally, some allege that Layla Al-Attar used pieces of her destroyed home during the American bombings in 1991 to create this controversial mosaic.

Layla Al-Attar's artwork did not include ceramics nor portraits but others claim she commissioned an artist to do it.

Layla Al-Attar's death was met with an angry response in Baghdad.

Kris Kristofferson dedicated and wrote a song about Layla Al-Attar, called "The Circle", which appears on his live album Broken Freedom Song: Live from San Francisco.