Untold stories revealed in refugee art
A project teaching refugees the skills to express themselves through art is not only helping those in long-term detention to find an escape from the tension and anxiety of their situation, but is also communicating their experiences, reflections and aspirations to the outside world.
The Refugee Art Project is a regular informal art class held at Villawood Detention Centre. The artworks created by refugees at the centre have been shown and sold at exhibitions, where the public have had a glimpse at their true stories. Artworks created by the refugees are drawn from positive memories of their homeland as well as memories of the conflicts they have experienced. The works also express the hopes and dreams of refugees as they draw images of the Australia they are hoping to call home.