Desaparecidos: Local Artist Paints Victims of Genocide

Inspired by a trip to Argentina in which artist Brian Carlson learned about the victims of the decades-ago genocide in the country, Carlson has set towards helping to set the record straight. The Port Washington resident spends four to six hours daily painting the faces of those killed between 1976 and 1983, victims that have grown to be known as "Los Desaparecidos" — or "the disappeared." There are roughly 30,000 victims in all; Carlson has, to date, painted about 400 faces. He calls the work "Aparecidos," for "reappeared." Part of the reason he is doing this, Carlson said, is to bring awareness to the tragic occurrence. The second part, he said, is to find a way to memorialize the victims.  "These people were systematically disappearing, the intention was just to completely wipe them off the face of existence ... so by creating memorials so that we remember ... it does have a real important function," he said. "Now these children are 30 years old, and they're starting to find out that the people they thought were their parents were actually the jailers of their parents or the killers of their parents," Carlson said, adding to the layers of this tragic story. Carlson's efforts have attracted national and international attention. "This is going ballistic," he said. "I have over 400 portraits now —but that is just the beginning of course." Carlson was invited to Argentina to exhibit the memorial and meet with organizations to arrange for additional exihibits. He also received the Kay Levin grant — an award given to a University of Wisconsin-Manitowoc faculty member on an annual basis since 1990 to memorialize Kay Levin, a member of the advisory council with a passion for learning, according to university officials. The award is meant to help with professional development. "News interviews, a talk show interview on Public Radio and a TV interview are also scheduled," Carlson said. "It's an extraordinary start, all being arranged by Argentinians who are very supportive of this project." Carlson has also launched a website where he posts his work an updates about the project. The Friends of the Aparecidos program that he created helps raise funds for his efforts. A $150 donation makes a person a "supplier" of the program, according to his website. In return, that donater will receive a painting by Carlson in the Aparecidos style of a person they chose.