Iraqi Artists Fight To Keep Their Buildings

“In Iraq — where the fine art is considered some of the best in the Middle East — artists were both coddled and repressed. They were given studios and supplies even as their work was censored and they were forced to paint and sculpture the ubiquitous images of a heroic Mr. Hussein.” Now, other Iraqis want their buildings, their studios. “Culture was controlled by the regime. This has caused many of the new political leaders to view cultural organizations as a remnant of the old regime.”