EVERYONE HAS HOPE: Photographs by Burmese Refugee Youth @ Arteri

Opens at 6pm on March 14th
March 15th – 27th
10am – 10pm daily

Taylor’s College’s Canadian Pre-University (CPU) Program is proud to bring you Everyone Has Hope: Photography by 17 Burmese Refugee Youths, the second installment of the highly acclaimed See The World Through Our Eyes; a fundraising and photographic initiative by a group of staff and students from the college. After a successful exhibition last November in the Annexe Gallery, Central Market, it is back for the second time to bring to light the realities faced by the Burmese refugees living in transit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

This is essentially a project that intends to expose what these refugees see every day through their photography. Inspired by a documentary called ‘Born Into the Brothels’, these youths (mostly ages thirteen – sixteen) from a selected Burmese refugee school in Kuala Lumpur were taught the art of photography with the help of local professional photographers who worked together with the team from Taylor’s College by running photography workshops for them.

These youths are inherently inquisitive and creative, and we want to promote these qualities. From the outstanding collection of photos that they took, some which stands as rare, revealing and sobering representations of life as a refugee child in Malaysia will be chosen for the exhibition. These photos were not chosen to expound despair, but to illustrate the victory of humanity over harsh times, which will create a novel and exciting exhibition.

The ultimate goal of this project is to allow these youths to have a voice, build invaluable skills, and raise money for organizations that are helping refugees here in Malaysia. Incited with concern from this increase awareness, only the citizens of Malaysia can collectively pressure parties in power to implement more humane and coherent policies in dealing with refugees.

The first gallery exhibition helped raise around RM2000 for paying their schools rent and food costs.

Come visit the Everyone Has Hope: Photography By The Burmese Refugee Youths at the Kuala Lumpur Performing Arts Centre (KLPac) from the 14th – 27th March 2011, 10am – 10pm. Admission is free.

Photographs will be on sale!

Opening night will be on the 14th March 2011, 8pm onwards with light refreshments and special appearance by the Burmese refugee youths; our stars of the night!