The catalyst for one of the biggest art exhibitions I’ve been involved with was a letter to Paper Chained. One of my regular contributors, Khalil, asked me if I could write about the ongoing situation in Palestine for an upcoming issue.

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However, as Paper Chained is a magazine aimed at prisoners, we only write about issues relating to prison and the criminal legal system. The letter, however, got me thinking about what it must be like being a Palestinian in an Israeli prison.

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I put out a lot of feelers, and eventually I found a former prisoner willing to speak about it; you can read that interview in issue 16 of Paper Chained. That person, Mohannad Al Azzeh, told an inspiring story about how he turned to art during his period of incarceration, even though Palestinians are not allowed to make art in Israeli prisons. Most of his art was found and destroyed by guards, however, some of it was smuggled out, and Mohannad also turned to art again following his release, as a form of art therapy to help address his PTSD from imprisonment.

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Knowing what an incredibly powerful story he had – not to mention unique artworks – after the interview I asked Mohannad if he would be interested in having art exhibited in Australia.

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That exhibition was launched on November 22nd by Senator David Shoebridge to a packed crowd. ARIA-Award winning rapper Dobby performed at the opening while people were able to see Mohannad’s original art made while at Ofer Prison in the West Bank, the drawings he made as art therapy, and the paintings he created about his imprisonment specifically for the show.

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Visions Through the Eyes of a Palestinian Prisoner ran from November 20-30 at The Creator Incubator in Newcastle. The exhibition will tour to its second and final location at Sydney Street Gallery in Marrickville from April 14-20, 2026.