WHEN she moved to Australia from India six months ago, Sukhraj Kaur had not seen her father for more than 15 years.
The 19-year-old of Point Cook is one of more than 50 young migrants expressing their lives through art in an exhibition run by AMES education centres in StAlbans and Footscray.
Exquisite Me is a joint project between AMES and Gallery Sunshine Everywhere to promote the current National Refugee Week.
Ms Kaur says while she’s still finding her feet in Australia, the friends she has made through AMES have made the transition smoother.
“India was all I knew, so it’s very difficult coming to a new country where you don’t know anybody and you leave all your friends and family behind,” she says.
“But I have made so many new friends who are going through the same experience as I am through my studies at AMES. The best thing is that my new friends are from all over – including Macedonia, Pakistan and Ethiopia.”
Ms Kaur says her cartoon depicts the struggles she faced moving to Australia. “I made it two faces because I believe everybody can have two faces. There’s the one they show to the world and the other they keep inside themselves that not many people get to see.”
East Keilor artist and project co-ordinator Debbie Quadri says the program has allowed young migrants to explore their experiences, aspirations and dreams through art.
“Many of the students have never used paint before or been given the opportunity to express themselves artistically,” she says. “Through this exhibition they’re able to show where they have come from and make a statement about themselves and where they want to be in future.”
The exhibition begins today at 4pm, at the Granary Cafe, 2 Devonshire Road, Sunshine. It ends July 21. Details: 0412218974.
