Iraq Protests Sparks Flood of Political Art

In March, painters, sculptors, and musicians began rallying to Baghdad’s protests. The capital is now overflowing with political art. Iraqi anti-government protesters painted murals on Sadoun Street in downtown Baghdad.

In a recent New York Times article, Alissa Rubin interviewed many artists from Iraq. Currently, there are protests going on in Iraq, and citizens are taking to the streets to express themselves...or rather the walls. Political art has been popping up in the form of murals all over Iraq. The Iraqi people have used this form of art to express their anti-government sentiments. Although the country has been oppressed for decades, these art exhibits largely prove to be a ray of hope for the Iraqi people. Riad Rahim, a 45-year-old art teacher from Baghdad commented, “You know, we have many thoughts about Iraq, but no one from the government ever asked us”. This new-found form of artistic expression can be found in the city’s creative hub, Tahrir Square.

These murals and pictures help spur optimism of another uprising in Iraq. One thing has become transparent--the Iraqi people have had enough of their government. Murals beg the United Nations to help rescue Iraqis. The art and graphic styles demonstrate how the next, much younger generation of Iraqis has been involved and is ready for change.

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