Spotlight on plight of Syrian refugees SCULPTURE PARK WORK OF ART HIGHLIGHTS STRUGGLES

A SORRY sight in many parts of the world, this ‘refugee tent’ looks out of place among the greenery of Yorkshire.

The art installation – called ‘refuge/e’ – is a thought-provoking new attraction at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, providing a window into the life of a Syrian refugee in Lebanon.

It has been created by AMP Art from material shipped in from Beirut, including a United Nations ‘New Arrivals Kit’ and items which are common to refugee homes.

Dr Helen Pheby, senior curator at Yorkshire Sculpture Park, said: “Refuge/e is a highly important and particularly pertinent art installation and we’re really pleased to be part of its UK tour.

“The contrast between the open green space of the sculpture park and the reality of life for a Syrian refugee is evident. However, we hope the project will bring our visitors closer to understanding the lives of others and inspire an important dialogue on the refugee crisis.”

AMP art directors – Georgia Haseldine, Paula Petkova and Pete Target – said: “When we visited the homes of Syrian refugees in Lebanon we saw inadequate shelter, no right to work, stifled family life, and huge levels of resilience.

“Where do adults go to have difficult conversations out of earshot from the children?

“Where do people go to cry and mourn alone? We are thankful to Yorkshire Sculpture Park for daring to transplant this shelter on to British shores and further this discussion here.”

The touring art installation is at the YSP until March 26. Refugees Bira Mohammed Yasin and Hassan Kaheel, from Ethiopia and Syria, will be speaking about their daily lives and experiences during the exhibition (pictured behind them). Below: Amp Art artists and anthropologists work inside the shelter. Inset: A real-life shelter in Lebanon, and the sort of devastation from which the refugees are fleeing