Dennis Hollingsworth

Artist on the Run

Roger Simon posted a reference (a good pic of artwork there) to the Telegraph's obit for Peter Malkin, the painter who captured Adolph Eichmann. Here, a few notes on studio arrangements for the typical artist/spy:

On one level, Malkin's background and history would seem far removed from the typical artist who works everyday in the studio. During his years as a
member of the Mossad, he did not have the luxury or time to live the life of the
artist. He was either on the run or preparing himself to leave. His paintings
had to be small and his paints and materials, including guide books and maps
on which he painted, had to be functional, economical, and practical. He used
pigments that would dry quickly and materials that could be rapidly cleaned
and packed in a moment's notice. Given the kind of surveillance he was doing in Buenos Aires in 1960, during the time he was stalking the war criminal Adolf Eichmann (whom he eventually caught), there was no time to hesitate. (1) He learned to act quickly -- to move fast. If he delayed for an instant, he might miss the opportunity to bring the SS Obersturmfuhrer to justice.

(emphasis mine)

This, from the Telegraph obit:

"Evil does not exist in isolation," he said. "It is a product of amorality by consensus."
,/b>