Mishaal Atheer

Mishaal Atheer, born in Basra, Iraq, in 1978, is an abstract figurative sculptor specializing in bronze. He earned a diploma in Sculpture from the Art Institute in Basra and a B.A. in Sculpture/Fine Arts from the University of Baghdad, where he also contributed to antiquities reconstruction for the Faculty of Archaeology. Post-graduation, Atheer taught sculpture at the Art Institute in Baghdad and co-founded a studio producing public art commissions for private collectors and municipalities.

In 2007, due to the aftermath of the Iraq war, Atheer relocated to Amman, Jordan, where he held his solo exhibition "Sculpture Codes and its Continuance" at the Foresight Gallery in 2009/2010. Since 2010, he has resided in the California Bay Area, obtaining an M.F.A. in Sculpture from the Academy of Art in 2018. His series "Distant Mediations" explores universal human connections and the influence of physical places on identity. Atheer's stylized figures draw inspiration from ancient Mesopotamian sculptures, reflecting a modern continuation of their craft and style.