Refugee Stories | Gillian Allard

Gillian Allard

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Yana and Sofiia after writing their words on the artwork.
"the war tore apart our families but, it cannot separate our hearts".

Yana & Sofiia - Refugee Stories artwork, photographed in Suffolk - June 2022
Image reads 'the war tore apart our families but, they cannot separate our hearts".
© Gillian Allard 2022
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Yana and Sofiia writing their words onto the artwork.

© Gillian Allard 2022

Mina
Country of Origin: UK
Caption: "My name is Mina I am 2 years and 2 months old. I am the younger sister of two brothers. My parents and grandparents are all from Kurdistan but I was born in Ipswich, UK. I am a 'Daddy's Girl'."
Refugee Stories
PhotoEast Festival 2018
© Gillian Allard
Photographic print bonded to OSB ply board - finished with graffiti paints and sealed.
Approx 120cm x95cm

Exhibition of Refugee Stories at Weird & Wonderful Wood 2019
Refugee Stories
PhotoEast Festival
© Gillian Allard

Mina at home with her wooden portrait.
Refugee Stories
PhotoEast Festival 2018
© Gillian Allard
This image was taken as a publicity photo for the project. Mina had just added her tiny hand and foot prints to the bottom of the image in red and gold paint.

Rifaii's Poem
Country of Origin: Syria
Caption written on the artwork reads:
"They say "when will we meet"
I say, "after a year and a war"
They say, "when will the war end"
I say, "when we meet"...
Refugee Stories
PhotoEast Festival 2018
© Gillian Allard
Photographic print bonded to OSB ply board - finished with graffiti paints and sealed.
Approx 120cm x95cm

Rifaii is a Syrian refugee. Here he is writing on his portrait at La Tour Cycle Cafe, Ipswich, Suffolk where he was employed as a chef.
Refugee Stories
PhotoEast Festival
© Gillian Allard

Humam
Country of Origin: Syria
Caption written on the artwork reads:
"Syria my love, Damascus from you the mother of civilisations,
Get back your warmth and heal my deep wounds.
Get back to my neighbourhood, my school and bring back the ink, chalks and books.
You’re the priceless diamond,
You’re the paradise on earth,
You’re everything beautiful…."
Refugee Stories
PhotoEast Festival
© Gillian Allard
Photographic print bonded to OSB ply board - finished with graffiti paints and sealed.
Approx 120cm x95cm

Detail of Humam writing on his portrait 2018
Refugee Stories
PhotoEast Festival
© Gillian Allard

Arya
Country of Origin: Kurdistan - Iraq
Caption written on the artwork reads:
"This beautiful Kohl bottle is a gift from my mother in Iraq. She bought it for me a year ago. It is very precious to me. Sometimes I use it for putting on my eye make-up for special occasions."
Refugee Stories
PhotoEast Festival
© Gillian Allard
Photographic print bonded to OSB ply board - finished with graffiti paints and sealed.
Approx 120cm x95cm

Detail of Arya writing on the artwork - 2018
Refugee Stories
PhotoEast Festival
© Gillian Allard

Detail of teenage Sudanese boys writing on the portrait of his friend 2018
Refugee Stories
PhotoEast Festival
© Gillian Allard

Teenage Boys
Country of Origin: Sudan
Caption written on the artwork reads: "When I was little my father always told me that happiness was the key to life. But it is not easy to be far away from your family and continue a happy life.
If you don’t have an experience that living without family then you wouldn’t know the meaning of sadness. Especially if you don’t know where your family is."
Refugee Stories
PhotoEast Festival
© Gillian Allard
Photographic print bonded to OSB ply board - finished with graffiti paints and sealed.
Approx 120cm x95cm

I exhibited Refugee Stories at St Mary's Aldermary close by St Paul's Cathedral for the Moot Community - 2019 with the kind help of Anna Matthews.

Refugee Stories 2018
PhotoEast Festival
© Gillian Allard

Asrin & Mina
Country of Origin: Kurdistan - Iraq & UK
Caption written on the artwork reads: "My name is Asrin, I am from Eastern Kurdistan, which is located in the country of Iran.
I travelled to the UK with my family when I was 14 years old. It was a difficult journey. I am very pleased to live in a safe country now and I am the mother of 3 kids. I still wear my traditional clothes because my culture and nationality are still very important to me."
Refugee Stories
PhotoEast Festival
© Gillian Allard
Photographic print bonded to OSB ply board - finished with graffiti paints and sealed.
Approx 120cm x95cm

Refugee Stories exhibited at Endeavour House, Suffolk County Council's HQ - Ipswich - 2018
Refugee Stories
PhotoEast Festival
© Gillian Allard

MOP2 Winner 2017

Sky Arts on white RGB non HD.jpg