An Afghan refugee with a gift for drawing has earned the nickname 'Little Picasso'.

Farhad Nouri, 10, is stranded at a camp in Serbia while he, his parents and two younger brothers await the outcome of asylum applications.

They are among thousands of people who have tried to reach western Europe but have come up against closed borders and anti-migrant sentiment.

As he waits for what he hopes will be a peaceful life in Switzerland or the US, Farhad draws portraits of family members, friends and celebrities, castles and nature.

Image: Farhad, with some of his drawings, wants to live in the US or Switzerland

He has spent the past year learning English in the camp and said that art has helped him cope with his difficult circumstances.


"I was in Turkey, I was in Greece," Farhad said of his journey to Serbia.

"Here in the camp I like my painting, I like drawing my feelings and faces."

Among the famous people he has drawn are German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic, actress Angelina Jolie and artist Salvador Dali.

He says that "one day" he will draw his favourite artist, Pablo Picasso.

He recently met Homeland star Mandy Patinkin, who works with refugees and has asked US President Donald Trump to show more compassion towards those who have fled war.

Image: Farhad's picture of Salvador Dali

Farhad likes to lie in his bed at night to paint while the camp is quiet but during the day he plays with the other children in the camp and attends Serbian language classes.

He said: "I love painting, but I want to be, I must be a painter, in my mind, I must be a painter.

"I like photography also.

"I like to take a photo from (of) some nice place and also I like to play music, play guitar."

He struggles to remember his family home in Afghanistan.

"I remember the door when we are going away, I remember that day.

"When I think, I can remember something.

Image: Farhad's drawing of Angela Merkel

"It's (been) one year, a lot of people are in Greece and they go back to Afghanistan.

"Most of them also are coming here, but a lot of people are now in Greece, and it is so bad, you know.

"If (German Chancellor Angela) Merkel can do something to open the border for them, it is good.



"They left Afghanistan and nobody...Here is not their country, you know, and they need kindness."