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Abstract

This essay addresses the looting and destruction of the Iraqi Museum of Modern Art and the current state of its collection. Few works were retrieved. Nevertheless, there has been a lack of international attention and funds for restoration and preservation of these works, which is intensified by a lack of organized action to stop the trafficking of the stolen works in view of the destruction of the Museum's archives. These issues are discussed within the context of the national museum and its role in postcolonial societies, in terms of responsibilities of the occupying powers, and in relation to UN Security Council Resolution 1483 of May 22, 2003, reaffirmed in October 16, 2003, in Resolution 1511. Both Resolutions emphasize the temporary role of the Coalition Authority, as well as the protection of Iraq's heritage through establishing a ban on international trade in Iraqi cultural property.

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The Iraqi Museum of Modern Art: Legal Implications of the 2003 Invasion

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