Creatively Chronicling Covid19

Being a virtual prisoner in the house, frightened to go out? That’s what many refugees have gone through, often for years on end. First, in the war zones they fled, for fear of state violence and armed gangs. Second, during the journey in search of safety, many are locked down for days or weeks or months. Third, in the UK, where some are locked in by anxiety, inability to communicate, or experiences of racism. Frightened of enemies which are not ‘invisible’.

Lockdown is an opportunity for the mainstream population to better understand the lives of asylum seekers and refugees. Our collective work reveals many “small acts” of artistic resistance and creative resilience to marginalisation, as well as myriad practical and creative expressions of solidarity. We are and will continue chronicling the dark and light side of Covid-19 so contact us if you want to share your experiences.

Informed consent offered for all images. Full names withheld to protect contributors’ identities, unless otherwise requested.

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covid 19

Anguish

Andrea, an 18-year old art student represents COVID19 quarantine with a photo called “Anguish”. Fleeing political persecution, she recently moved to the UK with her family from Venezuela.

Ayubowan

There is a big ‘No’ to traditional European greetings such as hand shakes and hugs according to health instructions. Hence the Sri Lankan community was very excited about their traditional way of greeting ‘Ayubowan’ as it is very safe.

The walk

This picture symbolises what feels like a lifetime’s pursuit of freedom, despite the personal costs, and how nice it is to not walk this path alone. We took this photo on our first hike during semi-lockdown. It is a dedication to my quarantine-buddy!

Bad haircut from behind

I decided to cut my own hair because the barber was closed, and I knew that if my hair grew, I would look bad and feel bad. I would feel ugly, I don’t want that. The lockdown affects me personally.

Home farm

The family kept chickens during lockdown to give their children something to do and look after. Chicks were born. Eggs were hatched. Vegetables were also grown.

Food art

Under lockdown cooking, artistically arranging, taking and sharing photos of home-made dishes has become a pleasurable pastime.

We are all in this together... the media keeps repeating that we're all in the same boat and this isn't quite right. The virus is impacting the lives of people differently and there is no point in denying this.

During those weeks, my books became my weapon to fight my boredom, anxiety, worries about the future and feelings of immobility. I used my plenty of time in doing the thing I love most - reading books.

If you think artists are useless try to spend quarantine without music, books, poems, movies and paintings.

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We are co-creating a rich archive of digital cultural artefacts, images and voices, so that those who are often invisible or silenced can be seen and heard. This public intervention challenges the conventional politics of representation. It documents acts of artful and creative resistance to marginalisation, and resilient responses to multiple overlapping crises that they experience. Together, we are documenting contemporary history, each of us giving insights into how we are responding to Covid19.

More soon

Lonely Streets

Created by a group of Syrian refugees living in Malaysia. The stunning video of lonely streets under lockdown is framed around Mwaffaq’s poem to ‘Mother Earth’. It brings together reflections on multiple overlapping crises around inequality, migration, health and environment, in the lonely streets of Kuala Lumpur. It includes an original music score, using Tango and classical Arabic tunes.

Miss my friends...

Fuck Corona

“Im a nurse and I saw 50 + people dying in one care home from corona …. lonely ; (“

Ramadan under lockdown

A failed asylum seeker in Berlin is showing the impact of the pandemic on a previously packed mosque. In the middle of Ramadan it is almost completely empty with only a very few people who have registered being allowed to attend.

Portrait of my Mother

Under lockdown, Amir, a 16 year old-refugee boy drew his mother after the style of artist, David Therron. He describes the picture in terms of watching someone drown but being unable to save them, due to panic. It is a deeply personal depiction of his mother and the many journeys they have endured to find safety and security.

Singing to Motherland

Gabriel Smit, a Venezuelan migrant in Colombia sings to his motherland, in the hope that the future will be brighter for him and all his fellow citizens.

Hell is empty, all the devils are here

From Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’— Act 1, Scene 1. These words are spoken by Ariel but here are applied to life under Corona Virus by a 16-year old Iranian Kurdish girl living in Germany.

Aisha talks about her life under lockdown

“For the vast majority of people Cov-19 is a curse but for Syrians living under siege and bombings, it came as a blessing. The guns went silent.” Translated by her husband Ahmad.

What is left of our home

“This is what is left of our tents after the fire – nothing! Media tell you to go and self-isolate at home. What home? People have no idea what life in a refugee camp is. We lost our homes back in our country and now we have lost our tent here in this camp. Of course, the authorities didn’t want us to take pictures, but we took them anyway. People should see what’s happening”.

Learning piano

A young girl taught herself to play the piano during lockdown.

We are one

This poem by Sa’adi, a Kurdish poet, is on the wall of Omar’s room. It has sustained him throughout lockdown. It is a constant reminder, he says, of our common humanity. He says he felt he was making a home in Germany but during Covid he has experienced several very upsetting episodes of racism. He now feels expulsed, spurned, infected so the poem helps restore a sense of calm.

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Latest publications

Here you will find our latest academic papers, policy briefings, testimonies from asylum seekers and refugees, as well as creative writing.

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One Life, Two Deadly Frontlines

by Ahmad al-Rashid | 30 Jun 2020

COVID-19 has presented the world with unprecedented challenges. The current situation has led to large parts of our world being shut down and most activities, be them social cultural or economic, being brought to a halt. The scenes of everything being shut down, the media frenzy and living in...

“I don’t believe in witches, but if they fly, they fly”

by Carlos Ibarra Rivadeneira | 30 Jun 2020

Talking about Covid-19 among Latino asylum seekers and refugees. Have you ever seen an alien? A real alien? Despite the pervasive use of this term to picture foreigners, I guess the answer is no. Are witches real? Of course not! Not unless you visit a museum or thematic park. It seems nobody has...

Lockdown never locked me down: Journal of a full-time volunteer

by Thanuja Hettiarachchi | 30 Jun 2020

Because lockdown was the best way to be safe, I have almost liked it. I knew how badly other countries suffered with the virus before it arrived here in the UK. I remember how anxious everyone felt when the first case was found in Swansea. It was miserable not knowing what was happening. As a...

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