Friday, June 11, 2010

Proud, Painful Art on Baghdad’s Blast Walls

blast walls in IraqHolly Pickett

BAGHDAD — Baghdad’s blast walls are a blank canvas. They reflect Iraqis’ shared history — both proud and painful facts of life here in the capital.
blast walls in IraqHolly Pickett for The New York Times

Last August, Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki ordered the walls removed from Baghdad’s main streets. Days later, a double truck bombing at the Finance and Foreign Ministries killed at least 95 people, and the plan to remove the walls was scrapped.
blast walls in IraqHolly Pickett for The New York Times

It is impossible not to notice the walls, and the paintings and markings on them become like landmarks.
blast walls in IraqHolly Pickett for The New York Times

Artists have painted some of the walls with reminders of things Iraqis have in common — ancient Mesopotamian history, religious symbols, portraits and patriotic slogans.
blast walls in IraqHolly Pickett for The New York Times

Spray-painted graffiti occasionally adorns the walls. Faded and peeling campaign posters from Iraq’s 2009 election are still glued in place.
blast walls in IraqHolly Pickett for The New York Times

The walls also record bomb blasts. Pocked with shrapnel holes or blackened with soot, these sections remind Baghdad residents why the walls are necessary.
blast walls in IraqHolly Pickett for The New York Times

blast walls in Iraq
Holly Pickett for The New York Times

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