IRAQ: Dozens of paintings looted after Saddam Hussein's fall are returned to Baghdad's Modern Art Centre

Record ID: 829740

  • Title: IRAQ: Dozens of paintings looted after Saddam Hussein's fall are returned to Baghdad's Modern Art Centre
  • Date: 23rd August 2010
  • Summary: BAGHDAD, IRAQ (AUGUST 22, 2010) (REUTERS) GATE LEADING TO THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE INTERIOR OF MINISTRY OF CULTURE / EMPLOYEES SEATED EMPLOYEES OF CULTURE MINISTRY LOOKING AT PAINTINGS WHICH HAVE BEEN PLACED ON A TABLE EMPLOYEES OF CULTURE MINISTRY REGISTERING INFORMATION ON PAINTINGS WHICH HAVE BEEN PLACED ON A TABLE EMPLOYEES OF MINISTRY OF CULTURE PUTTING PAINTINGS ON GROUND PAINTINGS ON GROUND PAINTING OF WOLF PAINTING OF A LION MAN LINING UP PAINTINGS ON GROUND PAINTING SHOWING PIGEON EMPLOYEES OF MINISTRY OF CULTURE LOOKING AT PAINTINGS TWO PAINTINGS, ONE OF WHICH SHOWS THE SPIRAL TOWER OF SAMARRA (ON THE LEFT) PAINTING OF SPIRAL TOWER OF SAMARRA PAINING OF WOMAN (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAHMOUD ASWAD, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF PLASTIC ART DEPARTMENT AT THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE SAYING: "The Plastic Art Department always looks and investigates for lost artworks that had been looted during the events (falling of Saddam's regime in 2003) and which is estimated at about 7,000 artworks, a big part of them were museum artworks and part of them were exhibited artworks. The museum artworks are about 4 to 5 thousand and the Ministry of Culture managed to return 1,200 museum artworks immediately after the event (invasion)." WOMAN PUTTING PAINTINGS ON DISPLAY PAINTING OF TREE ON DISPLAY (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MAHMOUD ASWAD, DIRECTOR GENERAL OF PLASTIC ART DEPARTMENT AT THE MINISTRY OF CULTURE SAYING: "The Plastic Art Department has managed to return 57 museum artworks in 2008. In 2009, it returned 72 artworks and at the beginning of 2010, we managed to return back 20 museum artworks. Then it was followed by efforts from good citizens like Mr. Akram (a professor at Baghdad institute of Fine Art) who returned about 20 museum artworks that belong to the Modern Art Museum and for big artists, the pioneers like: Faeq Hassan and Jawad Saleem." VARIOUS OF PAINTINGS ON DISPLAY PEOPLE LOOKING AT PAINTINGS
  • Embargoed: 7th September 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz
  • Reuters ID: LVABO3P07WIW0YD6KB8H3VZ8EZ11
  • Story Text: Iraq's Ministry of Culture has recovered 59 looted paintings, 33 from Moscow and 26 others from Baghdad. The paintings were looted from the Iraqi Modern Art Centre after former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein's regime fell in 2003.
    Iraq's Ministry of Culture has recovered 59 paintings looted from the Iraqi Modern Art Centre in Baghdad during the wake of the collapse of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein's regime in 2003.
    Thirty three were recovered from Moscow. An Iraqi citizen handed 26 others back to the Ministry of Culture after buying them from street vendors and markets.
    Mahmoud Aswad, Director General of Plastic Art Department at the Ministry of Culture said that the paintings will be renovated and framed for display in an exhibition dedicated to the theme of looted Iraqi art.
    He said that the names of all individuals, committees, embassies and countries who helped Iraq to return the paintings will be written on the walls of the museum.
    Aswad said although about 7,000 artworks were looted from the Modern Art Centre in 2003, 1,200 were returned to the museum almost immediately.
    According to Aswad, about 149 artworks have returned during the past three years.
    "The Plastic Art Department has managed to return 57 museum artworks in 2008. In 2009, it returned back 72 artworks and at the beginning of 2010, we managed to return back 20 museum artworks."
    He praised the efforts of Iraqi citizens such as Akram Ali, who helped the Culture Ministry to return many stolen artworks. Ali, a professor at Baghdad Institute of Fine Art, bought 20 paintings from street vendors and returned them to the ministry.
    "Then followed efforts of the good citizens like Mr. Akram who returned about 20 museum artworks that belong to the Modern Art Museum and for big artists, the pioneers like: Faeq Hassan and Jawad Saleem."
    In the months that followed the toppling of Saddam's regime in 2003, the museum's artwork began to appear on the streets and in markets, up for sale by Iraqis desperate for cash and with no idea of the work's value. Many more have been smuggled out of the country and sold.
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