Christian Aid Commissions Famous War Artist to Depict 'Children in Conflict'

A famous war artist was commissioned by Christian Aid to produce a series of paintings that portrays children in conflicts around the world.

John Keane's artwork will be displayed in a new exhibition opening at Wolverhampton Art Gallery in autumn 2007 entitled 'Children in Conflict'.

Through the eyes of the children he met in Angola, southern Africa, his work focuses on the post conflict issues faced by millions of young people living in this war torn country.

John Keane a former official British war artist during the Gulf War, recently spent two weeks in Angola, his first visit to sub-Saharan Africa. He visited Christian Aid partners in the capital Luanda and the remote area of Mavinga, 300km from the Zambian border.

Almost half of Angola's population is under the age of 15 and life expectancy is just 40 years. It has the third highest child mortality rate in the world with more than one in four children dying before their fifth birthday. A peace deal was signed four years ago but the shattered country will require international assistance for many years to come.