Blinded
This was an initial sketch for an editorial illustration about drug addiction and how young people underestimate the dangers of drugs and narcotics. The illustration shows how blindly people often fall for drugs.
Nuclear war
I have seen this many times before, in my dreams. Watching a nuclear mushroom explosion rise into the sky. Raised during the cold war in Germany I remember that an atomic war was constantly on my mind. I often joined anti-war demonstrations in the 80’s with students who stayed in house where I lived. My first drawings protest drawings where of Pershing and SW-20 ballistic missiles.
Silence
I threw my TV set out the window, so I could finally listen to the silence once again. The constant bombardment of racism, biased reporting and general negativity was unbearable. On one hand we need to be informed, on the other, do we really need to consume all the misery, suffering and pain which happens around the world.
An Eckhart Tolle quote comes to mind when he said that your job is not to save the world, but instead bring peace through a peaceful character and awareness whenever a conflict arises in your close environment. I can’t remember the exact words but I believe I captured the essence of his quote.
The Marble Throne
This was originally a sculpture decorating the marble throne at Golestan Palace in Teheran. I played with the proportions and gave it my own little twist.
Sufi Shah Nimatullah
I started this illustration after I visited a sufi shrine in the Kerman province of Iran.I completed this drawing upon my arrival in Berlin. The details in the fabric simply took far too long. It was a therapeutic experience drawing the patterns. I used a 0.1 and 0.05 Staedtler pigment liner for the details while using a Pentel brush pen for the outlines.
Nematollah Vali Shrine in Mahan, Kerman, Iran
Shah Nematollah Vali
Education is a weapon
Defeating terrorism through education
A former British Prime Minister said during a conference that in order to fight racism and terrorism, we need to teach diversity and difference, tolerance and respect, in the same way that the humanities, sciences and languages are taught. Education is a powerful weapon.