Our shared humanity – a moving exhibition of creative works by refugees and people seeking asylum

Refugee Week event: Our Shared Humanity

A moving exhibition of creative works by refugees and people seeking asylum.
(One night only during Refugee Week then going on tour)

Date: 22 June 2017
Time: 6.30pm – 10pm
Venue: The Line, 2 Yewers Street, Footscray 3011

People come from all over the world seeking protection and refuge on Australian shores. Many don’t make it to safety and, for those who do, the journey is often harrowing.

Through shared hardship come art works and stories of resilience, love, strength and beauty.

cohealth is honoured to present the works of some of these brave individuals.

The exhibition will open with an exclusive film showcasing the artists’ journeys.
Also featuring: Internationally acclaimed spoken word artist, Abe Nouk,

The Artists

Azizeh Astaneh (Please note: Azizeh is available for media interviews.)
Azizeh is an Iranian asylum seeker living in Melbourne. She spent nearly 6 months living in detention centres.
“Thanks to the art volunteers who were regularly visiting Melbourne Detention Camp, I learnt that life is beautiful even when the world is ill. I am obsessed with expressing metaphors through my work to allay the over-flowing matters and thoughts in my head.

Marjan Norouzi
Marjan came to Australia from Tehran, Iran 3 years ago by boat. She was in detention for 17 months before coming to Melbourne.

Maryam Sepasi
Maryam is from Tehran, Iran.  She came to Australia with her family two years ago, after 18 months in detention centres.

Behnam Khamisi
From his early school years Behnam has always loved to draw, paint, take photos.  “For me, visual art is an expression of society, politics, religion, one’s culture.”

Mahmoud Salameh
Through his work Mahmoud tackles issues of border imperialism and refugees, displaced populations, domestic issues in Syria and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Using his art as a medium for social change and reflecting on his own personal transnational experiences, Mahmoud’s pieces send a powerful social and political message that seek to challenge dominant narratives around occupation, displacement and resistance.

For more information contact Richard Meredith on 0438 553 052 or at: richard.meredith@cohealth.org.au