The Gray Suite

Markers on silk paper, 2020

Drawing and poem based on the Argentine’s President visit to Israel in 2020.

I will have very intense days
in my encounter with an impressive country
A hope
born out of horror

I’m the present of a country that has lived through its own tragedy
of persecutions, torture, enforced disappearances and death

After so much suffering
Argentinians value more than anything
the prevalence of the rule of law

We trust in peace
and in thoroughly respecting Human Rights

I have come to this beautiful land
with a dream
To see it in peace with our neighbors
and specially with the Palestinian people

My country recognises
with strong conviction
the existence of two States
and promotes peaceful coexistence

I know the complexity of the matter
but we will never step down from
dreaming of peace

If we could build this country
why couldn’t we its successors find
solutions to less complicated problems

The need for living in peace
should drive us

Adapted from the Twitter thread posted by Argentina’s President Alberto Fernández on January 23th 2020, during his first official visit: the World Holocaust Forum at Yad Vashem, Jerusalem. Fernández was the only male not wearing a black suit for the official picture, drawing criticism from the opposition about his lack of protocol.