FOURTEEN months in detention would breed resentment and anger in many refugees searching for new lives in Australia.
But for one Pakistani living in Sunshine North, detention helped him discover a talent for artistic expression.
Ijaz Khalil began to paint after fleeing his home country for Australia to avoid a frightening situation.
“In three years, more than 5000 innocent people [were] killed by the Taliban,” he says. “The situation is still unstable.”
Leaving his mother, four brothers and little sister behind, Khalil sailed from Indonesia for Australia in August 2010.
He spent more than a year in detention on Christmas Island after the boat was intercepted.
“There wasn’t much to do, not many facilities, so I took to painting,” he says.
The 32-year-old is one of three Sunshine North refugee artists, alongside Kaveh Mastouri and Solehi Nasibai, shortlisted for the AMES and Multicultural Arts Victoria’s Heartlands Refugee Art Prize. The award showcases the paintings, drawings, photography and mixed media works of talented refugees who have arrived in Australia since 1970.
Working to the competition’s theme of “I wish to see. . .”, Khalil’s canvas painting, Peace and War, caught the eye of judges.
‘‘There are two sides,’’ he says. ‘‘The birds and pigeon, which are the sign of peace, and the other the destroyed house and human skull . . . which shows the recent destruction and war in the world.’’
The works will be displayed at fortyfivedownstairs in Flinders Lane until June 29 and at the homestead at Werribee Park from September 1-14. Winners will be announced on Friday.
