Ghaleb Al-Bihani, a Yemeni citizen, was detained at Guantánamo for nearly 15 years before being released to Oman in January 2017. Ghaleb, who discovered a talent for art in routine classes offered to detainees, once wrote, “Painting makes me feel as if I am embracing the universe….I also see things around me as if they were paintings, which gives me the sense of a beautiful life.” Most of his paintings and drawings were created after 2014, when he was cleared for release, and sometimes depict his musings on what his life would look like when that release finally came.
Ghaleb Al-Bihani, Blue Mosque Reflected in a River (made after a terror attack in Istanbul near the Blue Mosque), 2016.
Ghaleb Al-Bihani, Lighthouse, 2016.
Ghaleb Al-Bihani, Large Ship against a Skyline, 2015.
Ghaleb Al-Bihani, Houses Reflected in a Bay, 2015.
Ghaleb Al-Bihani, Two Boats, 2015.