With the 40 Hour Famine ‘Backpack Challenge’ focusing attention on the plight of the world’s displaced peoples, World Vision Australia in partnership with Jacky Winter Group asked 40 artists to create an original artwork that reflects the tragedy, hope and humanity found amidst conflict and forced displacement. Here are six…
With the 40 Hour Famine ‘Backpack Challenge’ focusing attention on the plight of the world’s displaced peoples, World Vision Australia in partnership with Jacky Winter Group asked 40 artists to create an original artwork that reflects the tragedy, hope and humanity that is found amidst conflict and forced displacement. Here are six of them…
“The loneliness of human displacement really affected me. I wanted to show the isolation and entrapment of people in this situation and capture the sense of loss of loved ones and belonging.” – Amy Rolfe
“I want to try and show the isolation, danger and utter fear the children are faced with, along with their resilience. And I don’t think they should have to be faced with any of those things. I can’t help seeing my own children in the ones in my picture. I hope others can see theirs too.” – Cat McInnes
“When I heard Hani’s story I was struck by the way he talked of his experiences. He looks like any young child here in Australia, but what he has already witnessed in his young life is so far from what I can imagine, and so far from my understanding of childhood. He had seen death by an age I couldn’t even comprehend the word: ‘We fled our house and the rockets were still coming…I’ve forgotten all my toys…they are gone now, they’re in pieces.’ He has been robbed of the innocent, happy childhood he deserves. How can we help him get some back?” – Ellen Macintyre
“Before the war started nothing worried me, everything was ok. You could remove the moon and put the house in its place. It was really beautiful.” – Sara, Syria.
“We reach for our homes on the moon, but they are unattainable, always just out of reach. Displaced, we drift in the empty space that is neither here nor there, hoping to find peace.” – Emily Beasy
“Of all the World Vision YouTube clips, displaced child Sara’s comments struck me the most. Now living in a refugee camp, she spoke wistfully of when she would play on the swings in her home in Syria. I wanted to convey that wistfulness, innocence and tragedy of a child swinging from one untenable, unfair situation – a war-torn country – to another, in the form of a refugee camp.” – Joana Partyka
“A Syrian songbird is held against its will by an unseen aggressor. Dark isolation. A clipped-wing. Deprivation of basic rights. It will survive but its song may never sound so sweet again.” – James Lake
To see the complete gallery of 40 images, head to http://40artists.40hourfamine.com.au/.
