This is a painting from the ‘geographic studies’ series, which looks at countries and areas that have had to cope with major problems and violence.

The painting is about Algeria. It includes the name of the capital city Algiers (in French spelling) and the suggestion of a coastline.

The textual background is built up from texts about the historical development of the country - its bloody war of independence from the French (independence achieved in 1962), its great economic problems, poverty, unemployment and social unrest, and a struggle between the army, the police and armed Islamic fundamentalists.