Hassan Al-Abadi: Life and Art Early Life and Political Beginnings Born in Baghdad, Iraq, in 1952, Hassan Al-Abadi’s life has been deeply intertwined with the political landscape of his nation. He began as a Shia dissident opposing Saddam Hussein's regime in the late 1970s, leading to 24 years spent in exile. During this period, he became a senior leader within the Islamic Dawa Party and coordinated anti-Saddam guerrilla activit…