Refugee and asylum seeker women create artwork globally showcased in digital experience.
Thirty girls and women representing over twenty nations have taken part in an ARTconnects project, supported by MAC, giving them a voice to express themselves creatively during the ongoing covid crisis.
Isolation, flashbacks of war, suffering in silence, resilience and solidarity – these are the messages featured in a new artwork created by refugee women around the world, with UK-based artist & human rights activist, Salma Zulfiqar.
Entitled In Solidarity The Migration Blanket, the new artwork is a continuation of The Migrant Blanket project created by the artist in 2018 with vulnerable women, showing their struggles and hopes and dreams. This artwork was exhibited during the Venice Biennale in 2019.
The digital artwork will take you on a creative migration journey around the world through the eyes of girls and women during these troubled times.
Semira, a Bosnian refugee living in the UK and participant of the online workshops, said: “I managed to attend on two workshops online and I met so many women from around the world. Thanks to modern technology, Salma organised these workshops and gave an opportunity to refugee women from around the world to attend and express their feelings on their art work.
“Thanks to the interpreter, I understood that some of them still live in refugee camps and difficult circumstances. This reminded me of my life almost three decades ago, when I experienced something similar.
“We are all beginners without prior knowledge of art, but all of us managed to do something. I spot some extraordinary pictures, so I guess that some women have hidden and unused talents. I think it helped as all to escape our uncertain reality and to empathise with each other.
“I felt a global solidarity and reassurance that none of us is not alone in this Corona situation. Regardless of our economic, cultural, racial, religious or social background, we are all in the same boat.”
The artwork was shown at Espacio Gallery in central London on 20th-25th October, with online events planned for global screenings later in the year. The online workshops are created in collaboration with MAC, Arts Council UK and in support of The United Nations Refugee Agency.
Find out more about the project supported by MAC here.
