I recently worked on some ‘portrait’ style pieces to highlight the plight of the oppressed, namely Mihrigul Tursun and Iyad Haribat, with the hope of amplifying their voices through the medium of expressive (digital) brush strokes. Sometimes, in this social media age of love for aesthetics, it’s easy to forget that perhaps the very purpose of art is to evoke emotion, to express, to revive. Throughout history, art has been the medium of resistance, telling the stories of the silent and carrying tradition upon its vibrant shoulders. I hope this these might stir something in the hearts of those who come across them, even if only to read the caption for a few seconds, to pause momentarily and see the world through the eyes of the wronged.