These are not balloons

40" x 40" In a mesmerizing canvas suspended between worlds, a breathtaking scene unfolds. A young girl, mere five years of age, stands amid a sea of vibrant balloons that drift like ethereal orbs around her. Each balloon, a spectrum of colors, bears the weight of a flag, representing lands torn by war—Ukraine and Colombia among them. The girl, with her innocent countenance, wears an outfit that blurs the boundaries between a girl scout and a guerrilla fighter. A puzzling ambiguity that hints at a fate twisted by the times she lived in. As the balloons gather, each one representing the soul of a child lost to conflict, they form a heartrending procession to welcome her into eternity. These tiny emissaries bear the weight of nations' sorrows, yet they are now free, dancing in the heavens above. In this surreal amalgamation of innocence and strife, the painting beckons the viewer to reflect on the harsh realities of war.