Artist Douglas Laing painted this scene based on photographs taken by his son Sean Lamb’s friends while they were serving in Afghanistan. Master Corporal Sean Lamb is seen at the right of the painting, firing a C6 machine gun.
The artist wanted to depict the realities of Canadian operations in Afghanistan—including lethal combat and ever-present dust. He was intrigued by the juxtaposition of the destructive power of modern bombs against the ancient-looking buildings made of mud and stone.
