Photo Gallery Baghdad's Murals
A group of Iraqi artists is transforming the grey concrete barriers, which divide Baghdad's most violent areas, into colorful murals.
"I hope this will show a few people that also good news can come from our country, not only bad news", Baqir al-Sheik, the initiator of the project, told USA Today.
The motives chosen for the murals are varied, ranging from rural landscapes, portraits of fishermen and farmers to historical scenes.
The group of artists includes Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds.
Entire sections of Baghdad have been walled off for kilometers with tall blast protection walls.
The group's first set of murals are being painted on the concrete blocks surrounding the Baghdad Hotel.
The enthusiastic artists hope Iraqis will find a sense of optimism in the colorful murals. "They need some joy in their life, because it's decreasing day by day."
