Upon entering the drab building housing Iraq’s culture ministry, visitors unexpectedly stumble upon some of the country’s greatest treasures. In a newly refurbished hall that used to be the cafeteria, 76 precious paintings and sculptures from Iraq’s foremost artists are on display for the first time since the National Museum of Modern Art was pillaged in the aftermath of the 2003 Iraq invasion.
“Art is the memory and conscience of the people,” said Fakhir Mohammed, head of the ministry’s “plastic arts directorate” that deals with contemporary paintings and sculptures. During a tour of the recently opened but sparsely visited exhibition hall, Mohammed said the return of artwork “to these walls is just part of our ambition”. He added: “Now there’s a real will to restore Iraqi culture to the previous level.”
