International screenings of a recorded drawing and sound performance by a UK-based artist Issam Kourbaj are taking place in honour of Refugee Week. The screening will take place in various locations in the UK, US, Netherlands, Kuwait and the UAE from June 20 to 26, in addition to being available online.

The Syrian-born artist unveiled Imploded, Burnt, Turned to Ash last year at the Howard Theatre in Cambridge via a livestream to mark the 10th anniversary of the first anti-government protest in his home country.

Kourbaj filmed himself for 36 minutes and eight seconds creating and destroying drawings, with backing music from composer Richard Causton and soprano singer Jessica Summers.

“It isn’t only about Syria, the tragedy of refugees is worldwide. It is the same now in Ukraine. Unfortunately, we aren’t learning the lessons and I want to flag to audiences the issue of destruction and how it forces people to flee for survival, like any person would do,” says Kourbaj.

The Syrian war caused more than 13 million people to flee the country or be displaced within its borders, and is one of the largest refugee crises in contemporary history.

Watch the video to see Kourbaj’s work Imploded, Burnt, Turned to Ash.