From ID Number to Art Legend: He Painted 🎨 Humanity From Detention.
Play & learn about Mostafa ‘Moz’ Azimitabar's arty refugee experience 🎮
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Back Story
Mostafa ‘Moz’ Azimitabar is a Kurdish-Iranian refugee, artist, and human rights advocate.
Moz was born into a Kurdish family in Iran in 1986. After speaking out against the oppression of Kurds, he faced persecution by the Iranian government. Moz was forced to flee.
He endured a dangerous journey as he travelled across the ocean on a small boat and arrived in Australia in July 2013. In line with Australia’s stringent immigration laws, Moz was taken to an offshore detention centre to be processed as an asylum seeker. He spent the next eight years there and was only released after being granted refugee status in January 2021.
It was during these eight years that Moz discovered his talent as an artist. When an officer in the detention centre refused his request for paint, Moz returned to his room and picked up a toothbrush and some coffee. With these simple tools, he began to paint.
The self-portrait Moz created is a testament to his experience in detention. He named the piece after his government identification number – “KNS088” – as a powerful reminder that he is a person, not a number.
In 2022, KNS088 was short-listed for Australia’s most prestigious portrait prize, the Archibald Prize. Moz’s story became known around the world, and he used the opportunity to advocate for refugee rights in Australia.
Moz is now a central figure in his community in Sydney. He continues to paint and works for a charity helping victims of domestic violence.
However, Moz still feels stuck in limbo. He must reapply for his refugee visa every six months, and constantly fears that it will not be reissued. He is campaigning for a change in the law to grant refugees permanent residency. In his own words, “to not know if you will ever be safe is another kind of torture.”
In this post Georgia highlights the arty refugee experience of Mostafa ‘Moz’ Azimitabar. She is a citizen journalist on a placement with us organised by Oxford University Career Services. She also organised the micro game to make the journalistic experience interactive.
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