Outside power: Syrian artist depicts Obama, Trump, other leaders as vulnerable refugees

A Syrian refugee artist has spent 19 months creating a series of paintings of world leaders, with an aim to picture them outside their positions of power.

A Syrian refugee artist has spent 19 months creating a series of paintings in his Brussels studio showing world leaders as displaced or disenfranchised people and is showcasing them in a Dubai gallery.

The artist says his aim is to picture world leaders outside their positions of power. (abdalla.al.omari on Instagram)

Abdalla Al Omari’s “The Vulnerability Series” includes paintings of US President Donald Trump as a bedraggled refugee with a sleeping child in his arms, Russian President Vladimir Putin as a beggar, as well as former British Prime Minister David Cameron and former Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

Omari started painting in Damascus shortly after the start of the Syrian civil war broke out in 2011. He fled and was granted asylum in Belgium.

Gallery visitor Sami Azraq said the portraits were a unique take on the refugee crisis.

“I think it’s an interesting way or it’s a nicer way to look at the problem rather than our usual news or social media or other outlets,” he said.

Here is a glimpse of some of Omari’s work: