Mosul Museum reopens with contemporary art display following ISIS destruction

The museum opening has been seen as 'proof that war didn't kill Mosul'

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  Iraqis stand in front of a 'Welcome to Mosul' road sign displayed at an art hall in the museum of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on January 29. AFP

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  Mosul Museum partly reopened yesterday with contemporary art display. AFP

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  The northern Iraqi city of Mosul served as the Islamic State (IS) group's brutal seat of power for three years, before Iraqi troops recaptured it in 2017. AFP

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  A view of the museum's damaged exterior. Mosul's celebrated museum has not recovered since IS jihadists ravaged its ancient treasures several years ago, but part of the complex reopened on January 29 to showcase more modern art. AFP

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  For the first time since IS overran the Iraqi city in 2014, visitors on could wander the grandiose royal reception hall, which formed part of the museum. AFP

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  The contemporary exhibit is titled Return to Mosul, and has been made up with pieces by 29 artists. AFP

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  The remainder of the museum remains closed for security reasons, according to its director, Zeid Saadallah. AFP

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  The exhibit was "proof that war didn't kill Mosul and that, on the contrary, it's living a full-on renaissance," said Huda Hani, a 25-year-old visitor to the exhibition. AFP

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  Children wear virtual reality (VR) headsets at a contemporary art exhibition hall in the museum of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on January 29, 2019. AFP

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  Visitors walked through the hall to look at the paintings and sculptures, many of which feature themes of home, return, or conflict. AFP

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  An Iraqi man plays the oud, an oriental string instrument, during the opening. AFP

Mosul's celebrated museum has not recovered since Islamic State group jihadists ravaged its ancient treasures several years ago, but part of the complex reopened on Tuesday to showcase more contemporary art.

For the first time since ISIS overran the Iraqi city in 2014, visitors could wander the grandiose royal reception hall, which forms part of the museum.

The building is considered the oldest government complex in Mosul and was recently renovated to host the 29-artist exhibit, titled Return to Mosul, a member of the organising Al-Ghad Radio station revealed. It will run until February 3.

The widely-admired Mosul Museum is the second largest museum in Iraq, second to the National Museum of Iraq, located in Baghdad.

The northern Iraqi city served as ISIS's brutal seat of power for three years, before Iraqi troops recaptured it in 2017.

Much of Mosul's east has made a modest recovery, but the west – home to the Old City and the museum – remains in ruins.

A general view of the exterior of the damaged Mosul Museum. AFP

The exhibit was "proof that war didn't kill Mosul and that, on the contrary, it's living a full-on renaissance," said Huda Hani, a 25-year-old visitor on Tuesday.

Buttoned up in warm jackets, families walked through the hall to look at the paintings and sculptures, many of which feature themes of home, return, or conflict.

Visitors admired the 29-artist exhibit. AFP

The rest of the museum, however, remains closed for security reasons, said its director Zeid Saadallah.

"You have to protect what is left," he told AFP.

During its bloody reign over Mosul, ISIS released a video of its jihadists attacking the museum with sledgehammers and pneumatic drills, destroying priceless pre-Islamic artefacts that it considered insulting to religion.

The damaged pieces including two imposing lamassu statues, Assyrian winged bulls with human faces.

ISIS also blew up the Assyrian city of Nimrud, the ancient city of Hatra, and the centuries-old desert city of Palmyra in neighbouring Syria.

But in addition to destroying artefacts, the jihadist group trafficked valuable pieces to finance its activities.

In partnership with Google, 3-D printer BQ, and other organisations, Mosul's artists and technicians are looking to print three-dimensional versions of the smashed pieces.

And ALIPH, a heritage-focused project led by France the the UAE, has dedicated $480,000 (Dh1.7m) to help in the first phase of the museum's reconstruction.