Beyond what the eyes can see

Refugees are often forced to stay invisible to protect their safety. Their stories are hidden, or told by somebody else. The portraits in this exhibition explore and address this issue. They are the result of a collaboration between myself and sixteen anonymous refugee women artists, who have developed their embroidery and henna painting skills through Asylum Access Thailand's Chamaliin collective. Each woman has altered her own portrait, influencing how her image is portrayed to the world, and deciding which parts are hidden and which are shown.

The original photos were printed on cotton and paper, then embroidered or painted on. The images shown above are scans of the final products.