Syrian artist Merwan Nawwaf Ahme fled to Turkey with his wife and seven children in 2013. Now he works as an electrician to make a living while at the same time shed light on the drama in his home country through his paintings.

After leaving Syria, Ahme settled in Mardin's Kızıltepe district, where he had some relatives. Here he began painting to steam off at night after a hard day's work as an electrician.

Transferring his feeling in his paintings, Ahme's artworks found their ways to European and U.S. galleries after he shared them with a friend in an asylum camp in Greece. After a number of exhibitions, now his life has become the subject of a documentary.

Questioning the culture that brought on the war and destruction in his surrealist paintings, Ahme believes that he will make the whole world hear his message.


Ahme says his paintings depict the tragedy, chaos, pain and drama caused by war.

He said that he wants to organize an exhibition in Turkey and is counting down the days to visit Europe.

Using art to expose the atrocities of war

Ahme moved to the İzmir's Konak district seven months ago with his family. Speaking to Anadolu Agency (AA) there he said that there was no security of life in Syria. Six people from his family were killed in the war, and one of his neighbors was kidnapped by Daesh for ransom before he decided to come to Turkey in 2013 to save his children.

He said that his heart was crushed and was having a hard time carrying this burden. He started painting as a way to relax and feel better. "I loved painting in school but did not have the opportunity to advance," he said.

"There was emptiness inside of me. I wanted to fill that void. I wanted to fill that void and blow it up. I wanted to show something to Europe, to people so that people may change this culture of violence and brutality.

"I wanted to say, 'This happened to us.' I wanted them to draw a lesson from all this. 'Dear people, please give up on this approach that sees some people as superior to others, discriminates against people because of their language, religion and race. This culture is causing violence, initiating wars. Give it up. Tomorrow, your children might also have to face this.' I wanted to convey this message to the world." he said.

Exhibitions in Europe, America

When Ahme heard that people in a refugee camp in Greece were organizing an exhibition, he contacted them and told them about his paintings.

They wanted to see his paintings but Ahme did not have the money to send the real paintings so he took photos and sent the photos instead.

His friends in Greece then organized an exhibition in his name and used these photographs. His work has now been showcased in more than 20 exhibitions in Greece and nearly 50 exhibitions around the world, from Bulgaria, Norway to the U.S.

He also agreed to exhibit the paintings through a non-governmental organization that works with arts by refugees in Greece while another institution is making a documentary about his life.

Ahme said many academics and students from various European countries have visited him in Turkey. "They, Europe do not need me. Hundreds of university students talked to me. Many of them came to Turkey. They wanted to turn my work into a dissertation. I am not sure what they are studying at their universities. They shot a documentary about my life. Two architects from France came to my house and talked to me. They learned about my life. Why are they doing this, why? Do they want to tell their students that look how these people are suffering?"

'I fall into a trance when I'm painting'

Ahme said that his paintings depict the tragedy, chaos, pain, and drama. He noted that there is no sign that the war in the Middle East is coming to an end. "I almost go into a trance when I'm painting. Without noticing, I bury my pain in these paintings. I realize that my buried pains are revealed when I finish the painting. It's not personal, this is the pain of my country. It is also the same as the pain of the whole world. The whole humankind's pain. I want to paint pictures of joy, pleasure, happiness but my heart cannot bear it. My heart is burning. It is so hard because we have only seen darkness until today."

'I want to open an exhibition in Turkey'

Ahme noted that Turkey helped release his artistic side and has become an artist thanks to this country and now he wants to visit Europe to make his voice heard louder than ever.

Underlining that while he loves his country, he does not want to return, Ahme added that for him his country is his real home but he does not want to return since the culture that brought this devastation has not changed.

"I don't want to go there and disappear in the whirlpool. The fight will continue. Syria is divided. So many groups emerged. It was for revolution first, but then it changed. Now, what is happening is not for the revolution. Killing, theft, domination and disintegration - that's why I do not want to return," noted Ahme.

He noted he is grateful to Turkey and added that he would show his paintings in Turkey.

"Turkey has helped us all. Not just me, but millions of Syrians for many years. Therefore, I would like to thank Turkey very much. We are grateful. It embraced us in difficult times. This is so valuable. Therefore, I want the Turkish nation to see my paintings," said Ahme.