Isabel Magalhães: O Mundo ao Contrário
Found this lovely painting by way of UrShalim‘s blog.
Isabel Magalhães is a gifted Portuguese artist and painter. She dedicated this 2005 stunner – “The World Upside Down“- to Lebanon during the now officially named acknowledged Israeli Second War of Aggression* against Lebanon (July-August 2006). I love the vivid autumnal colours on this one. Check out her other paintings on her blog–the words are in Portugese but Google translator or Babelfish should help.
Her website is here and she has a number of blogs, including here and here.
* (ADDENDUM) The war was not formally declared as such by Israel at the time—it was intended to be a ‘military operation’ (initially called Operation ‘Just Reward’ and then Operation ‘Change of Direction’, and also included Operation ‘Sharp and Smooth’). Only months later did Olmert concede that a war had taken place. Defence Minister Peretz commissioned aides, two reserve generals and a law professor (!) to come up with a name. It is commonly referred to as the Second Lebanon War, July War or the Summer War in Lebanon. It gets curiouser and curiouser:
“Yaacov Edri, head of the Israeli government’s name-the-war committee, ha[d initially] ruled [Second Lebanon War] out because there wasn’t officially a First Lebanon War. According to Israeli history, the 1982 attack wasn’t formally a war either, but rather Operation Peace for Galilee.”
Starting wars is apparently easier than naming them …
That’s beautiful; already my desktop background. Thanks for sharing.
Out of interest, what official body gives names to wars? What does it call the current wars in Iraq and Afghanistan?
That’s what they named it? What happened to The Clouds or Gentle Spring Rain or whatever the Hellish Orwellian appellation rolled off those obscene tongues?
Those tongues. True weapons of mass destruction those.
bbl
Great to hear, Dave. I’ve had the same desktop background for ages, might be a good idea to change now and then.
Good question re. naming wars, I’ll have to look up the protocols but I suspect its mostly informal conventions and historians writings that determined past names, such as ‘The Great War’.
In the post above, the “official” was referring to the fact that Olmert has recently officially and finally admitted it was a war, though. I’ll clarify/ amend. I’ll wager the US-UK dominated coalition would not agree to names such as “war of aggression”!
The titles of the various military operations within wars are determined by the governments as you may know. Most notably, the US invasion of Iraq moved from Operation Iraqi Liberation (O.I.L.!) to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Can’t have those acronyms revealing too much, now. (Operation Israel-First?)
Serv., Orwellian appellation, indeed. I think the Israelis take the cake for absurd military operation titles (Operation “Summer Rains” for Gaza and Operations “Just Reward” and “Truthful Promise” for the war on Lebanon last year).
A good starting point for a list on mil operations is here
Another related article: The Art of Naming
Specifically on the Israel war on Lebanon:
* Burston, Name that war – Your chance to rewrite Israeli history, Haaretz
* McKinnon, What’s in a name? When it’s war, confusion, Globe and Mail
* AJP, Israel seeking name for Lebanon’s “shameful” war, Al Jazeera
* Nir Hasson, Panel officially names summer conflict ‘Second War in Lebanon’, Haaretz
Hi;
Just found myself in here. What a pleasant surprise. :)
Thank you.
Isabel Magalhães
Hi Isabel,
Thank you for your lovely painting and gesture to Lebanon. Your artwork is stunning.
Ann