Madarat Art Gallery, Baghdad

Baghdad Gallery Owner Hopes Culture Can Dispel Hate

The cafe at the Madarat Gallery is a place where artists and bohemians gather to talk about culture, politics and the indispensability of art.

Many have concluded that their lives as artists were better under Mr. Hussein.

“One million times better,” said Noori al-Rawi, 82, a painter, curator and art scholar who founded four museums in Baghdad and is regarded by many in the Iraqi art world as one of the pioneers of modern Iraqi art.