In ‘Syria’ (2018), Kennard wanted to show the complete destruction enacted, leaving millions homeless and bound to be refugees – often turned away from the borders of exactly those states that supported the powers and benefitted from the arms and munitions that produced the destructions. A tree is a signifier of insurance, longevity, freedom and hope. The Joshua tree was a symbol that reminded old testament readers of the prophet raising his arms in prayer with hope in the face of aridity. With this barbed wire tree, Kennard offers ‘Syria’ to speak of just such an impasse and the bad new days from which the hope of a new world must rise.

In Syria (2018) Kennard tackles conflict through a more poetic tenor. A destroyed street frames a desolate tree fashioned from barbed wire. If the tree symbolizes continuity and longevity, the wire reminds us of people bombed out of their homes and forced to seek refuge in other countries. As in other works, the piece juxtaposes an image of pain with a sense of defiance. Kennard’s compositions remind us of the importance of art in speaking through the noise and giving form to our collective feelings.