Areas across the historic city of Baghdad are now covered with monuments and statues embodying the enriching history of what was once the origins of civilization. With this particularly strong and powerful message in mind, a group of Iraqi artists looked beyond artistic movements' barriers and demanded a more powerful question: is it possible to unite traditional viewpoints in color, shapes, and sizes with modern outlooks?

Mohammed Ghani Hikmat was born on April 20th, 1929 in the city of Baghdad. From a young age as a boy, he was particularly interested in the shaping of materials to form larger ones.  Like many others, he went to Europe to pursue his studies as an artist and by 1961, he returned back to his country to see a new awakening both in the societal landscape and the artistic ones.

The formation of groups such as Al-Ruwad (The Pioneers) left a huge mark on the artists, particularly in terms of their intention to raise awareness about one particular subject: the union of traditional and modern to resemble and shape a more bridged expression in artistic abilities.

Mohammed Ghani Hikmat hugely contributed to the landscape in Baghdad, oftentimes executing monumental projects which showcase the historical integrity of Arab culture.

Some of his works that can be found in Baghdad are:

Nasb Enqath al-Thaqafa (Saving Iraq Monument) showcases a broken cylinder about to fall being supported by hands from a muscled shape, indicating the struggle to upkeep Iraqi culture.

Al Mutanabbi statue shows the medieval poet and is situated in the famed Al-Mutanabbi street.

Nasb al-Hurriyah (monument of freedom) although was designed and initiated by the famed Iraqi painter Jawad Saleem, the project would soon fall into the hands of Mohammed Ghani Hikmat and be finished by 1961.

Flying Carpet at the Baghdad International Airport indicates the famed story from mythology about a carpet used to fly around.

Due to his profound impact on being regarded as a grand artist from his region, he was known as ‘The Sheik of sculptors.’

In his later years, he would be found commissioned to design other smaller projects. Mohammed Ghani Hikmat died at the age of 82 in 2011 while seeking medical treatment in Jordan.