Thanks to Styria

An Iraqi and the legacy of the Styrian prince

Mahmood Abood is proud of his bust of Archduke Johann.(Bild: Abood)

Iraqi refugee made bust of Archduke Johann. Now he hopes it will find a place in the museum of the Styrian prince.

The beautiful bust of Archduke Johann, which stands in the municipal office in Stainz, has recently been inspiring the people of Western Styria. Very few people know that it was made by a refugee from Iraq. Mahmood Abood (28) made the likeness of the Styrian prince. The fact that he is now able to work as a technical draughtsman in Stainz was preceded by a dramatic story.

Forced to flee by the IS
Nine years ago, Abood, who had already completed an art school in his native Mosul, fled from Iraq to Austria. "IS took control of Mosul and banned everything to do with art," Abood tells the newspaper Krone. He decided to leave Iraq after the terror gangs followed in his footsteps. "Via Syria, Turkey, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia and Hungary, I arrived in Austria in June 2015 after a journey of 2,700 kilometers." In Groß St. Florian, he not only found a new home, but also the opportunity to become active as an artist again.

First, Abood sculpted the bust out of clay.(Bild: Abood)

An artist from western Styria supplied him with clay and Abood began to model. In 2018, he finally completed the master class for ceramics at the Ortweinschule in Graz. And this was just three years after he first set foot on Austrian soil. After vases and the like, he soon ventured into human likenesses and finally found a very special inspiration: "I wanted to create something that people in my new home country could identify with. Then I came across Archduke Johann," reports Abood. "I had the bust fired from clay, built a negative mold on it and cast it in bronze." The work could not be more perfect. "I've always been interested in depicting human proportions as realistically as possible. I succeeded well here," says Abood modestly.

The finished bronze bust of Archduke Johann.(Bild: Abood)

"Wants to give something back to Styria"
The bust comes at the perfect time. The Archduke Johann Museum in Stainz Castle opens on May 11. Abood's greatest wish: "That the bust finds a place in this museum. I have already spoken to Count Franz Meran, the archduke's direct descendant - I hope he will put in a good word for me with those responsible for the museum. I would like to give something back to Styria for having welcomed me here so warmly." 

By Philipp Braunegger, "Steirerkrone"