Dr. Mohammad Asefi is a physician and celebrated painter who has created thousands of pieces depicting everything from idyllic natural landscapes to Afghanistan's political crises, Kabul’s historic city center, and sporting and cultural events.
He is most well-known for preserving some of Afghanistan's most prominent artwork by concealing living beings present in the pieces when the Taliban first came to power in 1996. After the regime collapse, he revealed that he had covered the pictures with temporary watercolor that he subsequently washed off.
At Arizona State University, Dr. Asefi has been working to create a series of paintings depicting the cultural differences of Muslim communities worldwide (including in the U.S., India, and Africa). He has previously displayed a collection at ASU’s Harry Wood Gallery called “War and Emotion.”