Why the frontline artist and illustrator is one of our Top 50 Best Travellers
In a world obsessed with video it might seem like his skill set is rather outdated, but Butler is no ordinary artist. He sets up his easel in conflict zones from Afghanistan to Mali to Syria, where he was an unofficial guest of the rebel Syrian Free Army - drawing destroyed homes, fleeing refugees and overcrowded hospitals, but also capturing the continuation of ordinary life: a queue at a bakery, a goat herd, a local market. He works in pen, ink and watercolour, creating intricate and intimate sketches, and is often well received by locals; while he was drawing in the bazaar in Herat, a policeman brought him a cup of tea. Back home in Peckham, London, he has co-founded Hands Up Foundation for Syria, organising fundraisers around talks and events. His next subject will be Gaza. Call him old-fashioned: wherever he goes, he says he always sends postcards home to loved ones.
This feature first appeared in Condé Nast Traveller January/February 2017