Coffee-bean paintings draw visitors at Baghdad fair

Shafaq News- Baghdad

Iraqi artist Abdulsamad Ali is turning coffee beans into art, showcasing his works at the Dijla (Tigris) Shopping Festival, held alongside the Baghdad International Book Fair.

Ali, a graduate of the Institute of Fine Arts, has drawn visitors with his unusual technique and intricate coffee-bean compositions.

The idea emerged after Ali experimented with other materials in search of a new way to create his paintings. “I tried using beans and lentils, but they did not give me the result I was looking for,” Ali told Shafaq News.

He then turned to coffee beans, finding that their shape, color and pleasant aroma offered a distinctive material for his work.

Ali has completed 43 paintings using coffee beans, which he said explore different ideas about reality and changes in everyday life.

“This is my fifth participation in the Baghdad International Book Fair,” Ali said, adding that visitors had shown strong interest in his paintings during the event.