Testimony

Description

Testimony explores themes of hope, displacement, isolation, perseverance & finding one’s voice through the lenses of being a refugee & an immigrant with the impactful paintings of Faria Firoz & Harem Jamal.

Faria Firoz is a Bangladeshi-born interdisciplinary artist whose surreal & expressive oil & acrylic paintings address the struggles faced by some immigrant women who come to Canada in abusive or unsupportive relationships, facing the added struggle of navigating unfamiliar culture, language & customs. Through sharing these images, Firoz hopes to give voice to these women & offer solidarity.

Harem Jamal is a Kurdish artist from Iraq, whose childhood was spent in a refugee camp. His bold, realistic acrylic paintings explore the experiences of children displaced from their communities, surrounded by war & living with an uncertain future. Using art as a means of working through trauma, Jamal hopes his work will give viewers insight & understanding to other refugees.

Presented by West Vancouver Community Arts Council with support from the BC Arts Council, Province of BC, District of West Vancouver & North Shore News