Artwork by Former Guantanamo Detainees Exhibited at the European Parliament

London - This week, artwork by former Guantanamo Bay detainees is currently being showcased at the European Parliament. The exhibition features the paintings of Mansoor Adayfi, CAGE International’s Guantanamo Project Coordinator, along with fellow detainees Abd Almalik, Moath Al-Alwi, Muhammad Ansi, Ghaleb Al-Bihani, Ahmed Rabbani, Sabri Al-Qurashi, and Khalid Qasim.

Taking place in Brussels and titled ‘Guantanamo: art in captivity’, the exhibition was organised by the Art From Guantanamo Bay and in collaboration with the European political bloc, The Left In The European Parliament. Addressing the audience prior to the start of the exhibition was Mansoor Adayfi, Stelios Kouloglou MEP, Erin Thompson, American art historian and lawyer, and Stratis Vogiatzis, a writer and photographer. CAGE International assisted in supplying a number of exclusive art pieces for the exhibition.

The detainees' artworks were showcased across nine exhibition sections, which included Making Art at Guantanamo, Leaving Guantanamo, Ode to The Sea, Memories and Visions, Abstractions and Experiments, The American Dream, Protest and The Future of Art From Guantanamo. With up to a hundred art pieces on show, the paintings varied from scenes of nature to those of cities, walls and ships, themes that represent the memories of the prisoners as well as those of escape, freedom and the longing for justice. 

During the opening ceremony, panellists discussed the issue of Guantanamo Bay remaining open, the remaining 31 prisoners languishing within its walls and what more could be done to fight for their release.. 

Mansoor Adayfi, former Guantanamo Bay prisoner of 15 years and CAGE International’s Guantnamo Project Coordinator said:

“Art from Guantánamo presents a unique intersection of creativity. resilience, and the human spirit within the confines of a highly restricted and limited environment. Originating from one of the most notorious prisons in the world, the US military prisons located in Guantánamo, these artworks serve as powerful testimonies to the lived experiences of individuals imprisoned there without legal due process. Through their creative pursuits, these artists assert their humanity and resilience, transcending the physical boundaries of their confinement.”