Ashraf Atraqchi

The idenpendent artist and writer Ashraf Atraqchi (1980) is a graduate from the Fine Arts Institute in Mosul, northern Iraq. He comes from a family of artists and academics in Mosul and has been active in Mosul’s cultural movement since he was a student. He has worked as a producer of a cultural radio programme and he has published many pieces of literary and artistic criticism in Iraqi newspapers and Arabic websites. Ashraf’s writings focus on the arts, particularly the protection of historical and contemporary sculptures in Mosul city, as well as the biographies of Iraqi artists. His articles have been published widely in various newspapers, magazines and cultural websites, such as the weekly Iraqiyoon (Iraqis) newspaper, al-Tarbiya (Education) magazine and Thakirat Madina magazine (A Memory of a City).  

After years of pressure, threats, an attempt on his life and finally the occupation of Mosul by IS in 2014 he fled from his home town. He continued to write articles about art and sculpture from exile.

Ashraf Atraqchi arrived to Stockholm with his wife and children in May 2015.

Interview (in Swedish/Arabic) with Ashraf Atraqchi on SverigesRadio June 22nd 2015.