The Syrian uprising was the spark of creativity for many Syrian artists, and had the same effect on graphic designer Fadi Zyada from the city of Idlib. Zyada fled Syria shortly after the uprising began. But the safety he felt in another country was rather agonizing when all his family and loved ones were in danger of being killed. That was when he decided to take advantage of the design courses he attended, to do something for his homeland and the people who are subsisting between death and destruction.

“I'm not an artist, I'm merely a designer” Fadi humbly admits, “I follow the situation on the ground, and design pictures using Photoshop or Illustrator, doing what I can to make a difference or deliver a message through my designs.”

The artist, who was frustrated by his inability to help the people of Syria from a far, transitioned to painting pictures. Nevertheless, his portraits continued to reflect the Syrian reality. His digital art evolves as if he was immortalizing a moment to be a standing proof of the regime's brutality and Syrian people's resistance. His works have found their way into Swiss and Italian exhibition.

The artist's paintings take interest in children in particular. Zyada says that he dreams that one day he will end up working for a charity that looks after children. His works reflect this concern: a sniper aiming at a child dreaming of birthday balloons, a child flying balloons in the air amid the destruction where hope is born from the heart of pain. 

Still, Zyada believes that the instincts of living are stronger than despair. Something clearly seen in a portrait of two kids holding each other on top of the rubble, walking into the future where a long stairway emerges towards the sky. The painting leaves out the destination; is it death that Syrian children face smilingly, or is it the sun that will undoubtedly shine on this land no matter how bleak the night is?