Prison Art

Prison Art is a collection of works by Orange County-based abstract artist Assif Assefi produced during his 16-month incarceration in a federal detention center. Born in Afghanistan and living and working in the US since the 1980’s, Assefi was arrested in 2011 for drug possession after a long period of substance abuse. In prison Assefi became a prolific and dedicated artist, bartering for commissary bags, toothpaste, pencils and coffee grounds to create his work. The result is a subtle yet compelling collection of images that tell a story of personal transformation alongside the formidable challenges of prison.