Iraqi artist Wissam Ghadi paints a portrait of Shi'ite Imam Ali in his Al Sadr city studio on the outkirts of Baghdad December 25, 2003. Repressed under three decades of secular Arab nationalist rule, Iraq's majority Shi'ite Muslims are enjoying the new-found freedom of painting religious figures to practice their faith with impunity. Picture taken December 25, 2003. TO MOVE WITH FEATURE STORY BC-IRAQ-SHI'ITES-PAINTING REUTERS/Ali Jasim CLH/AA - RTR9AJE

Despite controversy, religious art increasingly popular in Iraq

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Iraqi artist Wissam Ghadi paints a portrait of Shi'ite Imam Ali in his Al Sadr city studio on the outkirts of Baghdad December 25, 2003. Repressed under three decades of secular Arab nationalist rule, Iraq's majority Shi'ite Muslims are enjoying the new-found freedom of painting religious figures to practice their faith with impunity. Picture taken December 25, 2003. TO MOVE WITH FEATURE STORY BC-IRAQ-SHI'ITES-PAINTING REUTERS/Ali Jasim CLH/AA - RTR9AJE

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