Art... far beyond Nocton

The war in Syria

As I scour the web for news to publish on the blog each morning, the following article made a real impact on me yesterday. It made me think about what might happen if ever this type of conflict were to affect our secure (and some would say privileged) lives in Nocton.

Just imagine for one minute, having to flee your home and village at short notice, deciding which cherished possessions to take with you... and how you might persuade other family members that the only way to stay safe is to seek refuge elsewhere.

It demonstrated to me how art can sometimes be a more powerful medium, than the live news images that are broadcast each day.

Turning pebbles into pictures of the war in Syria

'The imagery is all too familiar. A family on the move, their meagre belongings carried on their heads; a cluster of frightened children gripping a mother figure; the body of a victim cradled on the ground by a woman.'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-39064088

Syria's Civil War Explained

'The Syrian civil war is the deadliest conflict the 21st century has witnessed thus far.'

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2016/05/syria-civil-war-explained-160505084119966.html

How the UK is responding

UK and Syria

UK response to the Syria crisis

On this Sunday morning, I think it is fitting to conclude with the artist's own words:

"I am a human before anything else. The conflict has caused me a lot of pain and I sometimes can't sleep at night,"

"My only consolation is the work I do and therefore I don't see it as a source of revenue. It is pure passion for stone art. I want to communicate human emotions that people everywhere in the world share, such as love, hope, and sadness."

Nizar Ali Badr