People have asked Marc Nelson “why do you draw such ugly parts of life? Isn't art about beauty?”
The American artist's portfolio centres on difficult, often harrowing, subject matter: documenting war crimes and human rights violations occurring in Syria, Palestine, Yemen, Myanmar and the US.
But in response to such questioning, Nelson says, “You don't really know anything about art.”
Throughout his career, his work has sparked unexpected connections. His unique depictions of Syria's civil war in particular led to a friendship with one of his subjects, Mazen Al Hamada, the Syrian activist detained, tortured and recaptured under the regime of former president Bashar Al Assad.
Now, following the ousting of Assad and the tragic discovery of Al Hamada's beaten body, killed in captivity at the notorious Sednaya prison during the regime's final days, Nelson says his mission is all the more important: justice for survivors of war crimes in Syria, and beyond.
“Before, I was screaming in the dark … I think the artwork was screaming and desperate to try to be heard about what was happening. I think that was before the fall of the regime,” Nelson tells The National.
As Syrians pursue justice, Nelson explains: “With my art now, I want to talk to as many survivors as I can. I want to help with illustrating as many testimonies as I can.”
The middle school art teacher, based in the Midwestern state of Illinois, has traditionally used photographs on social media from amateur and professional journalists as “a starting point,” and seeks to “use paint and charcoal to create images that were both static and fluid.”
Each stroke of the paintbrush or charcoal grind comes with a sense of responsibility which Nelson has felt since he was a young boy. During his childhood, he discovered his grandfather's collection of graphic World War One photography. His grandfather came to the US from Belfast, Northern Ireland, during The Troubles.
That catalogue of war photographs transformed him and destroyed the all-too American notion of “war being some fun, heroic GI Joe, oh, let's go out and play swords,” he says.
His focus on Syria came after scrolling through X, then Twitter, in 2016, when an image of a man carrying a little girl in a blanket under siege in Aleppo came up on his feed.
“Her blankie was flapping in the wind, and it was just devastation all around and I was like – what am I looking at? What is this?”
At the time he didn't know exactly why, but he says he “had to” draw the image. Now, he understands the act of drawing the image as a form of processing, and commemorating, his subjects.
“Sometimes I feel like, if I don't draw a certain image, that that photo will haunt me … I have almost felt more traumatised by not doing something.”
The graphic nature of war's unfiltered imagery can lend itself to sensationalism – but there is no such indulgence in Nelson's reimagining of some of humanity's most difficult images. In the muted tones of his work, there is a sorrow that may be easier than the original graphic images for viewers to grapple with.
“I think part of me wanted to kind of meditate, to look and not pass the images by,” Nelson adds. “I didn't want to look and scroll, scroll. I wanted to actually be with that image and, sit with the image … They are human like I am, and I don't want to pass them by.”
Al Hamada was among the subjects that Nelson felt immediately compelled to draw, after watching a documentary where he famously sobbed as he detailed his experience of torture in Assad regime prison.
“Immediately, just like I did with the guy and the girl, I started drawing his face,” recalls the artist.
After sharing his artwork, the US-based Syrian Emergency Task Force eventually connected Nelson with Al Hamada online, where they developed a friendship over social media. That culminated in an emotional first in-person meeting when Al Hamada's speaking tour took him to Illinois.
When Al Hamada returned to Syria, after being lured back under false pretences by Syrian intelligence operatives, Nelson says his need to draw his friend became more intense, fearing the regime would “unperson” him “in the way the Soviets used to do”.
“My first reaction was this desperation to save everything I could and screenshot everything. I just thought, for my own self and for others, I'm just going to start using these images that I saved; draw them every week, and talk about Mazen.”
Of his friend, Nelson describes a deeply vulnerable man committed to justice. “He was basically like an open wound. He was everything within minutes, like you could see all this just flowing. He was also fearless.”
Now, he hopes his artwork captures all of Al Hamada – his gentleness; his introspection; his love of dancing to and “blasting” revolutionary music; his pain that he “wore on his sleeve, his wounds and his strength”.
Nelson explains: “He basically put his body, his mind and his soul on the line to try desperately to show the world what was going on.”
The removal of the former president has sharpened Nelson's mission. Now, his focus using his art for justice, accountability and continuing to remember his “real life hero” Al Hamada. In addition to creating art out of images online, he now wants to help Syria's survivors illustrate their memories of war crimes and violations as victims pursue justice in the international courts.
This month, the University of Michigan featured his works and hosted a panel where Nelson honoured Al Hamada's legacy. “Now, my art is not just like, blah,” he exclaims.
“I feel like it's more directed. As an artist I can at least help visualise and I can listen,” he says. “I'm trying to listen to as many people as I can. I think a lot of some survivors feel like, well, no one's going to care. But that's not true, and I want them to know it's not true.”
Ruwais timeline
1971 Abu Dhabi National Oil Company established
1980 Ruwais Housing Complex built, located 10 kilometres away from industrial plants
1982 120,000 bpd capacity Ruwais refinery complex officially inaugurated by the founder of the UAE Sheikh Zayed
1984 Second phase of Ruwais Housing Complex built. Today the 7,000-unit complex houses some 24,000 people.
1985 The refinery is expanded with the commissioning of a 27,000 b/d hydro cracker complex
2009 Plans announced to build $1.2 billion fertilizer plant in Ruwais, producing urea
2010 Adnoc awards $10bn contracts for expansion of Ruwais refinery, to double capacity from 415,000 bpd
2014 Ruwais 261-outlet shopping mall opens
2014 Production starts at newly expanded Ruwais refinery, providing jet fuel and diesel and allowing the UAE to be self-sufficient for petrol supplies
2014 Etihad Rail begins transportation of sulphur from Shah and Habshan to Ruwais for export
2017 Aldar Academies to operate Adnoc’s schools including in Ruwais from September. Eight schools operate in total within the housing complex.
2018 Adnoc announces plans to invest $3.1 billion on upgrading its Ruwais refinery
2018 NMC Healthcare selected to manage operations of Ruwais Hospital
2018 Adnoc announces new downstream strategy at event in Abu Dhabi on May 13
Source: The National
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:
1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition
COPA DEL REY
Semi-final, first leg
Barcelona 1 (Malcom 57')
Real Madrid (Vazquez 6')
Second leg, February 27
THE 12 BREAKAWAY CLUBS
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
The candidates
Dr Ayham Ammora, scientist and business executive
Ali Azeem, business leader
Tony Booth, professor of education
Lord Browne, former BP chief executive
Dr Mohamed El-Erian, economist
Professor Wyn Evans, astrophysicist
Dr Mark Mann, scientist
Gina MIller, anti-Brexit campaigner
Lord Smith, former Cabinet minister
Sandi Toksvig, broadcaster
The specs
Engine 60kwh FWD
Battery Rimac 120kwh Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO2) chemistry
Power 204hp Torque 360Nm
Price, base / as tested Dh174,500
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
MATCH INFO
Manchester City 4 (Gundogan 8' (P), Bernardo Silva 19', Jesus 72', 75')
Fulham 0
Red cards: Tim Ream (Fulham)
Man of the Match: Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)
Arabian Gulf Cup FINAL
Al Nasr 2
(Negredo 1, Tozo 50)
Shabab Al Ahli 1
(Jaber 13)
The specs: 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor
Price, base / as tested Dh220,000 / Dh320,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission 10-speed automatic
Power 421hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 678Nm @ 3,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.1L / 100km
The specs: 2019 Infiniti QX50
Price, base: Dh138,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.0L, turbocharged, in-line four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 268hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 380Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy: 6.7L / 100km (estimate)
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
THE SIXTH SENSE
Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
Director: M. Night Shyamalan
Rating: 5/5
Tips for job-seekers
- Do not submit your application through the Easy Apply button on LinkedIn. Employers receive between 600 and 800 replies for each job advert on the platform. If you are the right fit for a job, connect to a relevant person in the company on LinkedIn and send them a direct message.
- Make sure you are an exact fit for the job advertised. If you are an HR manager with five years’ experience in retail and the job requires a similar candidate with five years’ experience in consumer, you should apply. But if you have no experience in HR, do not apply for the job.
David Mackenzie, founder of recruitment agency Mackenzie Jones Middle East
RESULT
Fifth ODI, at Headingley
England 351/9
Pakistan 297
England win by 54 runs (win series 4-0)
UK-EU trade at a glance
EU fishing vessels guaranteed access to UK waters for 12 years
Co-operation on security initiatives and procurement of defence products
Youth experience scheme to work, study or volunteer in UK and EU countries
Smoother border management with use of e-gates
Cutting red tape on import and export of food
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
All Black 39-12 British & Irish Lions
Five films to watch
Castle in the Sky (1986)
Grave of the Fireflies (1988)
Only Yesterday (1991)
Pom Poki (1994)
The Tale of Princess Kaguya (2013)
German intelligence warnings
- 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
- 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
- 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250
Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution
