Portraits paint life as a refugee
HSERKUTHA Ra was born into a refugee camp in Thailand in 2003, and for the first seven years of his life it was all he knew.
He recalls having to look for food and tree leaves in the jungle, just to eat and to find some shelter.
It is a world away from life in North Geelong, where Ra and his two brothers and sister now call home.
They are among more than 200 of the Karen and Karenni people, all from the same refugee camp in northern Thailand, who have found a new life in Geelong’s northern suburbs.
Ra is sharing his story of transitioning from the refugee camp to his home in Geelong through the Here and There exhibition, opening tomorrow.
“On the left side of my selfportrait, the leaves represent the jungle around the refugee camp. On the right side are buildings which represent Australia to me” Ra said, describing his painting.
The Karen and Karenni people have suffered discrimination by the Myanmar Government since 1949, and became victims of forced labour, forced relocation, and suppression of their language and culture.
Many of them were forced to flee across the border into Thailand, before a resettlement program that began in 2005 saw many relocated to the Geelong region.
All of the artists participating in the Here and There exhibitions, aged between 14 and 22, have spent time in refugee camps in Thailand.
Despite having limited access to materials, many of the young refugees found a passion for art, with a desire to keep learning.
However in Australia, many school-based art programs require sufficient English skills, with the artists unable to continue their passion. This project has given them a platform to grow, meeting with Barwon Heads artist Liz McGrath weekly to explore different artistic styles and techniques.
The exhibition has been supported by the Bluebird Foundation — a Geelong based program that provides artistic programs — plus the Fort and Courthouse Youth Arts.
Bluebird Foundation Program Manager Bron Lawson said: “The self-portraits and landscapes capture just a little of the stories these remarkable young people have to share.”
Here and There opens tomorrow. It will show at Courthouse Youth Arts until Friday.