Villawood: Survival+Resistance
The Villawood Detention Centre symbolizes the cruelty of Australia’s border control policy. Depression, anxiety and self-harm amongst incarcerated asylum seekers is widespread. Four people have died inside Villawood in the last twelve months alone – three by suicide.
It is also filled with amazing stories of survival, resistance and hope. Every day, asylum seekers inside Villawood find ways to resist the callous and dehumanizing restraints of our detention system. From official complaints to hunger strikes and rooftop protests. From sharing their stories with visitors to the creation of beautiful and compelling artworks; their dignity and resistance is an example for all who believe in the principles of justice.
Villawood: Survival + Resistance, at the ICE building in Parramatta, will present artworks, talks, hip hop, music, poetry, performance art and film that interprets the Villawood Detention Centre. It will reflect the ways in which the Villawood facility shapes our experiences of race and migration, and what that means for Western Sydney.
Events include:
The Refugee Art Project presents an art exhibition by detainees inside detention, , including some that were first exhibited at their acclaimed ‘fear+hope’ exhibition, which was held at Sydney’s during refugee week 2011. Come and get a guided tour of the stories behind the works!
‘Villawood Mums’: A short film screening followed by Q&A with the film makers. Made as part of the , the film examines two women’s very different experiences of Villawood. “There are a few things that separate the arrival of Maria and Zahoor at Villawood: ten years, a few policy reforms and two very large fences.”
In the wake of a series of suicides, rolling protests and hunger strikes, protests erupted in Villawood in May of this year, including dramatic rooftop occupations and resulting in much of the centre being destroyed by fire. Someone with firsthand knowledge will talk about the protests, and what led to them occurring with such intensity.
Refugee Action Coalition spokesperson Ian Rintoul will discuss the current problems of Immigration Detention, including conditions inside detention, Christmas Island and the Malaysia Solution.
Performances by poets and hip hop artists from the Auburn Community Development Poets Group, including Rima aka Soul Beats, Bhagavadas Sriskanthadas & Nashaa Hamody Abdul-Hassan.
When:
Opening night – Thursday 8th of September, 6pm – 10pm.
Screening and performances commence at 7pm.
The art exhibition continues until 29 September, 10am-4pm, Monday – Friday
Where:
ICE: Information and Cultural Exchange, 8 Victoria Road, Parramatta.
Admission:
Opening night; $10 Waged, $5 Unwaged, no one turned away due to lack of funds.
(The art exhibition is free thereafter)
Opening night food and drinks served by donation from 5.30pm.
A collaboration between , the Cross Border Collective, The Refugee Action Coalition and the .Supported by ICE & . go back to Events