A story of endurance. A legacy in danger. A chance to help.
Born in 1926 to an Iranian Jewish family in Savannah, Georgia, Erwin David Rabhan lived a life marked by service, resilience, and reflection. He was a pilot in World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, later becoming a businessman, artist, author, and passionate chess player. In his final years, he lived with late-onset Parkinson’s disease, which contributed to his passing at the age of 98.
One of the most defining chapters of his life began when he was imprisoned in Iran for more than a decade, a consequence of his personal friendship with President Jimmy Carter. While in captivity, Rabhan created a powerful and deeply personal body of artwork—composed under extreme conditions and with limited materials. He later recounted the experience in his book, Conscious Coma, a firsthand account of the psychological and spiritual impact of prolonged isolation.
Today, Rabhan’s artwork is housed and preserved through the Cherokee County Arts Council—not as part of a static institution, but within a community-built framework. The Arts Council serves as a third space where creative work and public engagement come together. It’s through this shared energy—from volunteers, donors, and visitors—that his story continues to be honored and kept alive.
Rabhan’s art is more than creative expression. It is lived testimony. Created under extreme conditions, it holds a rare and deeply human perspective on captivity, resilience, and the power of imagination.
But time and neglect threaten this work. Fading materials, consumer-grade framing, and time have put the collection at risk. If we don’t act soon, much of it could be lost.
The Cherokee County Arts Council is leading a community-supported conservation project to protect and share this important work. With your help, we will:
1. Halt Further Decay
Each piece will be professionally unframed, assessed, and stabilized. We are hiring a qualified conservator to carry out the cleaning and preservation process using museum-grade standards.
2. Digitize the Entire Collection
Every artwork will be scanned in high resolution, and select pieces will be 3D scanned to capture depth and detail. These digital assets will become the foundation for a virtual exhibit, making Rabhan’s work available to a broader public.
3. Reframe Using Archival Materials
Following conservation, each piece will be reframed using archival-quality, museum-standard materials to protect and preserve the work for decades to come.
4. Build a Traveling Exhibit
We’re creating a mobile version of the exhibit—complete with video, audio, and written context—to bring Rabhan’s story to other communities, museums, and educational spaces.
This work has already begun—but we can’t finish it without you.
Your donation helps preserve a rare and powerful story, protect fragile pieces of art, and ensure that future generations can learn from what Rabhan created.
Rabhan’s original artwork is on view now at the Cherokee County Arts Council in Murphy, North Carolina. Visitors are welcome during our regular hours.
Gallery Hours:
Monday–Saturday — 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Cherokee County Arts Council
33 Valley River Ave, Murphy, NC
