Mohammed Ghani Hikmat’s 89th birth anniversary, the man behind Iraq Rises Again

His legacy was also honoured by United Nations on its 70th anniversary when the fountain Kahramana was chosen for the World National Heritage.

Mohammed Ghani Hikmat, the Iraqi sculptor and artist is credited with creating some of Bagdad’s highest-profile sculptures and monuments. 

He is best known for his two statues: Queen Scheherazade and King Shahryar, located on Aby nuwas Street and the "Fountain of Kahramana" respectively. Most of his work was inspired by the stories in One Thousand and One Nights also known as Tales of Arabian Nights.

His final work “Iraq Rises Again” was completed in 2012 and celebrates the ancestry and heritage of Iraq, its cultural diversity, and ethnic groups and the effort in building the country’s future. Hikmat is remembered for his devotion to his people and for his depictions of Iraq.

Hikmat was born in 1929 in Baghdad and completed his graduation from Fine Arts Institute in Baghdad in 1953. He also studied from Academy of Fine Arts situated in Rome, Italy. His legacy was also honoured by United Nations on its 70th anniversary when the fountain Kahraman was chosen for the World National Heritage.