Daesh Destruction of Mosul

A dark shadowy figure, dehumanised and misshapen, stands looking on imploringly, bearing witness to the destruction depicted in the wider context of the painting. The artist employs thick layered impasto and visual techniques such as chiaroscuro, to create depth and drama within the painting. The city of Mosul lies in destruction, with black smoke billowing out above the figure’s head. Black formless monsters seem to writhe about in the smoke in the upper half of the picture, possibly symbolising Daesh fighters. The river water in the central plane of the canvas is thick with blood, and the only respite is the stark passages of white light that seem to presage hope for the struggle of good over evil, both within the city of Mosul, but also within human beings more generally.