Khalid Qasim, originally from Yemen, was released in January 2025 after spending 23 years at Guantánamo. He frequently experimented with the limited range of artistic materials Guantánamo afforded; he has painted in coffee and on sand and gravel gathered from the prisoners' exercise yard, and has created sculpture from various discarded materials, including MRE boxes.
Khalid Qasim, Large Sailboat on the Ocean, 2017, paint over gravel mixed with glue.
Khalid Qasim, Fins, 2016.
Khalid Qasim, Titanic in Black and White, 2017, paint over gravel mixed with glue.
Khalid Qasim, Green Brush Strokes, 2016.
Khalid Qasim, Rectangles and Circle, 2016.
Khalid Qasim, The Hall of Enlightenment, Guantanamo, 2016, mixed media (including MRE boxes).
"This is the Hall of Enlightenment. As represented by the stairs, the only way to establishing a strong foundation of knowledge is by one step at a time. As depicted by the clock, time is an essential element therefore every moment must be cherished. One must not wait to acquire knowledge as time has already begun ticking. The flat top indicating the infinity of knowledge. The more you attain the more you desire. 1:30 AM Fri Sep. 9, 2016, K 242, Guantanamo, Cuba"