Sarepole Zahab in the western Iranian region of Kermanshah experienced a devastating earthquake in November, which claimed hundreds lives and injured thousands. The citizens have since been sheltered in conex boxes, which are a form of intermodal shipping containers.

“After the earthquake many rushed to the region to help like football legend Ali Daei and sportscaster Javad Khiabani, so I painted their portraits on the conexes to pay my respects in my own language,” Purkand told the Persian service ISNA on Friday.

The 43-year-old artist whose house has also been damaged in the earthquake said that a few months before the quake, he stored cans of paint to welcome Noruz by creating murals across the city, but the quake caused him to change his mind.

“Following the quake, I decided to set up a tent in the town to teach painting to the children who became homeless due to the disaster,” he said.

Purkand and the children were sheltered in a conex, which they called “The House of Painting.

Not all the paintings are dedicated to famous figures.

“Since relief supplies poured in from all the people across the country, I am drawing a special map of Iran, which will be completed soon,” he said.

Purkand drew his first paintings on the conexes of his mother and brother. Afterwards, quake-stricken people asked him to paint their conexes as well.

“I must say that my job was painting before the quake but now I do it for free to draw the government’s attention to the harsh living conditions in the temporary shelters,” he concluded.

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