The City of Greater Dandenong’s annual exhibition, HOME has announced the six shortlisted national artists from a refugee or asylum seeker background, whose works will be on display at the Walker Street Art Gallery until 2 November 2019.
Following a national call-out, six artists were selected to create work exploring the concept of HOME. The works in the exhibition cover a diverse range of ideas and issues, many of which we are all grappling with in modern society, from change to sustainability to peace.
The resounding theme that echoes throughout this year’s exhibition however is one of identity – finding, creating and celebrating our individual identities and where we each fit in broader society – feeling at home within ourselves, within our community and within our world.
Each of the exhibiting artists, Zahra Ali and Saba Hakim, Baaqiy Ghazali, Salah Murad, Sha Sarwari and Zakiria Tahirian, have lived in Australia for various amounts of time, but has already made a significant impact on society, both through their artistic endeavours and outside of them. These artists were chosen to exhibit in HOME for their vision and their skill, and their potential.
To support the creation of new work for the exhibition, each artist has been awarded $1,000, courtesy of IKEA Springvale. The exhibiting artists also have the opportunity to be mentored by leading artists and curators Abdul-Rahman Abdullah, Shini Pararajasingham and Mohamed Abumeis, receiving advice and support in the lead up to the exhibition.
“Since 2016 HOME has proudly supported artists from asylum seeker and refugee backgrounds, in recognition of the enormous contribution they make to our community here in Greater Dandenong and to our culture as a nation,” said Greater Dandenong Mayor, Councillor Roz Blades. “We are very pleased to welcome back Zakiria Tahirian and Sha Sarwari whose artistic careers have continued to progress since they first exhibited in HOME.”
“As Australia’s most culturally diverse city, Greater Dandenong celebrates our diversity, with residents from 157 birth places. This year our artists cultural backgrounds include Hazara Afghani, Iraqi, Kurdish, Iranian and Malaysian.”
This year’s exhibition features a sculptural work by mother and daughter Saba Hakim and Zahra Ali; illustrations by Baaqiy Ghazali; paintings by Salah Murad; paintings sculpture and photographs by Sha Sarwari and ink on paper works by Zakiria Tahirian.
Home
Walker Street Gallery & Arts Centre, Corner Walker and Robinson Streets, Dandenong
Exhibition continues to 2 November 2019
Free entry
For more information, visit: www.greaterdandenong.com for details.
Image: Zakiria Tahirian, Untitled, ink and gold on paper, 2019 (detail)