Our Journey, Our Story
Join us this Refugee Week at an exhibition showcasing the art of refugees and people seeking asylum.
20 – 24 June 2023
This Refugee Week, BPS is hosting an exhibition, co-curated and featuring works created by some incredible artists from refugee and asylum-seeking backgrounds.
The exhibition will feature a variety of visual works, created by artists with experience of going through the asylum system in the UK, and celebrate the contributions, creativity and hopes of refugees and people seeking asylum in our communities.
About the Artists
Daria is a Ukrainian artist who grew up in Zaporizhzhya and started her art education there in after school arts program. In 2018 she got her bachelor’s in Industrial Design in Stroganov Moscow State Academy of Arts and Industry where she also received an education in academic arts. After university Daria moved back to Ukraine where she focused on knitwear design and was a senior designer for fashion knitwear brand. Her art is in different media’s, but mostly Daria does fibre art and mixed medium canvases. In her art Daria represents her own journey as a queer artist, and now a refugee.
Han is a multi-disciplinary artist (music, art, writing, photography, poetry) and illustrator. Her art mostly focuses on emotion and expression.
Joe grew up in ESA and was a Communication and Marketing student before being forced to leave the country and seek refuge in the UK. He lives in South London and is currently studying a BA in Global Politics and International Relations at Birkbeck University, while working in local government supporting residents.
“I love all kinds of art, especially photography and close-up photos. I am working on returning to that passion; this project has motivated me to do it. I am passionate about new technologies and advocate for their inclusion to improve the lives of the most vulnerable. I am currently working on images made with AI software.”
Nicolyn was born in Karachi, Pakistan. Her ancestors who are Portuguese were originally from a small town in Goa, in India. She graduated in accounting and completed her Masters in Economics and worked for an international bank. She has always loved art and been drawing and painting at a very early age for which she received art certificates and won prizes. She loves the beauty of nature and her art is normally based on it, however she is very good with mindful art and is able to create amazing artworks.
SA is from Pakistan and completed their first masters degree in Mass Media Communications followed by a second in Peace Building and Conflict Resolution. SA has a passion for multi-media work, including photography, film and radio.
“I enjoy photography. I don’t have the fancy phone or high-end equipment for it, but I think I have an EYE for it. I try to be creative and capture a unique angle. I do poetry as a way of catharsis. I love storytelling through videos. I am a broadcaster for a local radio channel where I conduct interviews with different people. I enjoy doing that. Not the least I am the mum of a very handsome boy.”
Yaroslava was born in Luhansk, in the east of Ukraine.
“I have loved to draw since childhood. I drew everywhere: on walls, in notebooks, in diaries, on trees and on people. Then I learned how to draw also on the computer. Not actually painted “on the computer” but learned how to create art with the computer. Now I am engaged in graphic and web design and painting in real life with acrylics. I like to paint in an abstract style the most.”
Contact
If you would like to hear more, or get involved in this event, please email:
