DİHA - Dicle News Agency

NEDİM TÜRFENT

NEWS DESK (DİHA) - Worldwide known painter and artist Carlos Farinha has drawn three paintings on the Kurdish people, the last one is of voice artist (dengbêj) and YPJ (Women's Protection Units) fighter Viyan Peyman, lost her life in a clash in Kobanê recently.

While the monthly resistance of YPG (People's Protection Units) and YPJ in Kobanê and Rojava has marked the history, worldwide authors, intellectuals, academiscians and artists are presenting their support and solidarity day by day. One of them is painter and artist Carlos Farinha.

Born in Santarem city, 44-year-old Portugese famous painter Carlos Farinha defines the city of Kobanê as the symbol of all humanity. For now, Carinha has three paintings about the Kurdish people. The first is "Kobanê", the second one is "Newroz", and the last one is "Viyan Peyman". He has also lots of other painting made about humanity like "Lampedusa"., planning to draw the fourth one on Halabja Massacre.

Painter and artist Carlos Farinha respond to the questions of DİHA.


* Can you tell about your life in short?

My name is Carlos Farinha, born in Santarem city of Portugal on 9 March 1971. I am 44 years and am a professional artist. I made my artistic graduation in Portugal and have exposed in several countries. I am primarily a painter who portrays the contemporary times. I live and work in the capital city Lisbon. Completing a degree in Fine Arts at the University of Lisbon in 2004, sculture/Media, I began to show the works in 1991 at the Palacio Das Galveias, Lisbon. I perform and produce continuously scenography for the Festival of Comics Amadora since 1998. I was co-founder of EPIPIderme (a Performance meeting point) in 2010 and regularly practice performances. Also, I won several prizes and the last was a Honorable Mention in the "International Biennial of Visual Arts of Marinha Grande" in 2010.

* Have you ever visited Kurdish lands in any part of Kurdistan? What's your observations about the Kurdish people?

Yes, I was in Kurdistan last February in the city of Amed (main Kurdish city of Diyarbakır) to participate in an exhibition with the name "Kurdistan" that had as to raise funds for the reconstruction of Kobanê. The reason that I invited for was because I have made a painting of a guerrilla YPJ in the city of Kobanê. I was very well received, the Kurdish people are cheerful, friendly and with a huge zest for life with proud of being Kurdish and I admire that. I must thank the municipality.

* How did you encounter with the historical resistance specifically in Kobanê, generally in Rojava?

The first reports came in the television channels that spoke about a small fenced border town attacked by the ISIS. I was curious and started the search for more news, finally I found a livestream channel "Telegraf" which broadcast live from Kobanê city on the side of Turkey. Daily mapping and news on Twitter and facebook the struggle of YPJ and allies against the troops of the ISIS. It was something that will go down in history as the first conflict in law accompanied by ordinary people.

* Do you think of doing some of your paintings on some of the broken walls of Kobanê for remembrance?

It can be a good idea but Kobanê is a symbol of humanity and who must decide is the people of Kobanê who have gone through terrible times. For now the most important thing is the reconstruction and basic services, schools, hospitals, etc... For me they are the victims of intolerance and contempt that castigates those who have no voice or power, but what remains is a great hope for a better future. I have offered the first painting I made of Kobanê to the Municipality Council of Kobanê to honor the YPG/YPJ, and now is in Kobanê.

* Do you want to go to Kobanê or contribute - you already do with your solidarity paintings and never ending support - but like maybe giving painting lessons to those who are interested in Kobanê at least for a short time?

For me now it is impossible, because I have a very busy schedule, one of them is to make a painting about the Halabja Massacre, one of the most terrible moments of humanity. But surely it would be something that I will come one day to Kobanê.

* I see that you paint YPJ fighters mostly, I guess you are affected by women fighters, how do you think about women being the war?

For me, when innocent people suffer and are victims of atrocities as practiced by the ISIS, the image of the Shengal mountain, women sold into slavery markets are particularly shocking. Discover these guerrilla women who fight's for their right to be a woman and to their traditions represented a symbol that is why I felt the necessiteis to paint them.

* Can you evaluate your painting of Viyan Peyman (falling voice artist - dengbêj - in Kobanê)?

In my country, Portugal there is a kind of traditional music called "Fado" that when I heard Viyan Peyman reminded me the same intensity and emotion. You may not know the words but the emotions that words do have are universal. Viyan Peyman had a voice that enchanted me, I am sorry that she died.

* What do you think Kobanê tells the world?

Kobanê is a symbol against barbarism, fear and intolerance. The Kurdish people shows world that they are a true people who fights against the most barbaric terrorists in the world who are fighting against the humanity. And from point of view the world should respect Kurdish people as a nation.

* Which values you feel the most in Kobanê revolution?

I am a foreigner and believed as a parent I am, that the world should be a place for all in respect for differences. Seen in Kobanê, a willingness to be believed to be Kurdish, Muslim, Christian or woman is just a state as are born not a death sentence or life in slavery.

* As you know real artists are those who are contributing to the humane life and human rights in their arts; so what's your last message to worldwide artists?

There are many ways to fight the dark powers, one of them through arts, by art you can raise an awareness in the society and I am trying to raise the cause though my paintings... But I only can talk by myself, I am not a politician but only a simple man who knows the human civilization was born between the Tiber and the Eufrades. History and art as for all and his heritage should serve humanity like Kobanê is.

(nt)