Asylum seekers from Sri Lanka have turned to painting to help them through their long journey.
Six Tamil artists who fled in the aftermath of the civil war are putting their story on display for a Refugee Week exhibition.
Stroke by delicate stroke, ‘Kanni’ (not his real name) commits the pain of war and seeking asylum to canvas.
An accomplished artist from Sri Lanka, this Tamil fled his home three years ago into a life of limbo.
“The community want to know our feeling, not everyone can draw, but I can draw so I draw these pictures,” he said.
The show coincides with the anniversary of a Tamil who self-immolated in Victoria last year over fears he would be returned.
(SBS/Stefan Armbruster) Source: (SBS/Stefan Armbruster)
Painting helps give Kanni and the other Tamil asylum seekers a sense of purpose, according to the Romero Centre’s project co-ordinator Rebecca Lim.
“For them it's extremely therapeutic,” she said.
“We've been able to see the progression, if you like, from war and trauma stories to cultural and land scape and very, very beautiful art.”
Kanni is one of six Tamil artists featuring in the Refugee Week exhibition on the weekend in Ballina, in northern New South Wales.
Five were too scared to be interviewed, fearing they would be identified by Sri Lankan authorities and endanger their families and visa prospects.
Many hundreds of Tamils live in Australia on bridging visas, with no work rights.
They live with no idea if or when they will be repatriated to an uncertain fate, says Father Pan Jordan, a Dominican priest born in Sri Lanka.
“In the past, people who have been deported or sent back to Sri Lanka, most of them have been arrested and charged for illegally leaving the country,” he said.
“They have been imprisoned, tortured and in certain cases people are disappeared.”
This time last year, Tamil asylum seeker Leo Seemanpillai burnt himself to death in Victoria.
Father Pan oversaw his funeral service in Geelong.
“That is the worry, it is not only Leo but there are so many situations where people are attempting suicide,” he said.
“Recently, two weeks ago, in Brisbane there was a guy.”
Kanni and his fellow artists have their painting to keep them focussed while the wait for a decision on their visas.
He is looking forward to his art exhibition.
“They're being able to show the Australian public this is what we are,” he said.
“We're skilled.”
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