Rushdi Anwar: The Notion of Place and Displacement

Overview

Last year Melbourne-based artist Rushdi Anwar returned to his homeland of Kurdistan to work inside Iraqi refugee camps, which more than 1.5 million people currently call home. During this visit, from October 2016 to January 2017, Anwar created The Notion of Place and Displacement, a photo series that explores the daily lives of those living in the camps and reveals the difficulties faced by people suffering from forced displacement and dislocation.

Anwar's Kurdish heritage allowed him a unique insight into the lives of those living here — and while his photographs present the upsetting realities for those in the camps, he also portrays their courage and hope and shines a light on the socio-political struggles faced by the region in an effort to evoke compassion.

The Notion of Place and Displacement is presented at MARS Gallery in Windsor and can be seen from Thursday, June 8 until Saturday, June 24.

Image: Rushdi Anwar, Unprotected (2017).