I was hoping to finish some sketches during the weekend but then I got into a silent brawl with my old laptop files and folders. The muses were having a picnic. 

Then out of bad luck, I found the soft copy of a photo of one of my pre-Lines of Lila paintings. This piece, titled "The Aftermath" (which I also sometimes call "Conquering the Sand") kept recurring everytime I have absolutely no need of it. It's a piece I never thought I'd make. It was inspired by the 2003 invasion of Iraq, my first year in Kuwait, when there were no loud greetings, only air raid sirens. 

I've looked up to some of history's greats but have not had the chance to study them, unfortunately. There's Juan Luna's "The Battle of Lepanto", of course, and Albin Egger-Lienz's "The Nameless Ones", which are a few of my favorites. I've always favored viewing war from afar than being submerged into it. 

This particular artwork was completed a few years after the invasion as I had no desire of finishing it in the first place. But there she stood, digging the tip of the paintbrush into my neck again.

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Stars by Lila Marquez, 2003

The Aftermath (Conquering the Sand) by Lila Marquez, 2003