ART OF LIVING TOGETHER
By Neal Keeling
Manchester Evening News, UK
May 10, 2006 Wednesday
ASYLUM seekers are being shown in a different light in an art
exhibition.
Works on show at Salford Museum and Art Gallery focus on the
experiences of foreigners trying to make new homes in the city.
They include striking portraits of men from Kosovo photographed by
Johnny Mobasher.
Johnny said: “They showed up all dressed up. Having your picture
taken is a bigger deal in their country than here.
“I thought they would be in the day-to-day clothes that they go to
language or cooking classes in.
“People have an existing image of asylum seekers and refugees. But
these are intelligent, family men, who find themselves in a different
country. Not all refugees look like they have crawled under barbed
wire across a border.”
As well as having their pictures taken, the men contributed to the
exhibition by taking 50 photographs themselves with a disposable
camera to capture snapshots of their lives in Salford.
There are currently 1,214 asylum seekers and refugees living in
Salford. They include Congolese, Kosovan Albanians, Iraqis, others
from the former Yugoslavia, Somalia, Sri Lanka, Iran and Afghanistan.
There have been several high profile attacks on them. Last year a
Kurdish man was left with a broken leg by a gang of racist thugs.
And a Latvian man was lucky to survive when a screwdriver was plunged
into his head after 20 youths surrounded him.
Yet the city has historically been a destination for immigrants,
starting with Flemish weavers in the 14th century, Armenian merchants,
as well as Greek, Christians, and Jewish people.
One exhibit features 52 birds made by Salford artist Isobel Pickup and
Iranian artist Maryam Patala, from luggage and bags. They represent
the 52 languages spoken in the city.
Emma Summers has created 21 ceramics, referring to the fact that
every 21 seconds there is a new refugee around the world.
Coronation Street and Shameless actor Chris Bisson was at opening
launch of the exhibition yesterday. He said: “What strikes me about the
exhibition is that people from Salford – of all ages and different
cultural backgrounds have been involved in creating sculptures,
paintings, films, and photos.
“It has brought the entire community together – sharing their
experiences including sad and happy stories and exploring issues such
as uncertainty, fear, hope and trauma.”
The exhibition, called What Would You Do If, is open to the public
until November 19.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
