Paintback! exhibition

Paintback! exhibition

On 11th July 2003 the Paintback! exhibition was opened by Kate Allen - director of Amnesty International.

Over 100 people came to the Pilot Project, George Street, Newport, to see the collection of art works and stories by Newport's refugee and asylum seeker population unveiled to the public.

left: the ticket for Paintback!





Below: Aled Singleton (Project Manager) and Kate Allen (Director AIUK) in front of the mural created at art classes staged between February and June 2003.



As well celebrating the artwork of refugees currently living in Newport Paintback! features the story of Lena, a Jewish refugee who came to the UK in 1910 at the age of 16. Ingrid Wilson, Lena's granddauaghter, lives in Newport and was kind enough to retell the story of her grandmother's fight for survival. She tells us that:

"My grandmother was always desperate to become a British citizen but, apart from having to be here five years, you had to pay £25. She never had that sort of money but saved relentlessly. It meant so much to her but I did not understand why at that time – after all, I had never had to question my status in society. I was a teenager by the time she eventually saved enough. She would have been well into her sixties by then. After more than forty years, she felt she had arrived at last.”

We were fortunate enough to have Molly, Ingrid's Mother - and Lena's daughter, at the exhibition below. She is pictured below receiving a framed copy of her Mother's story from Kate Allen.



To see a slideshow of the Paintback! images on the BBC website click here