The Plight of the Refugees
The plight of refugees is the crisis of our times. The unprecedented flight of men, women and children from the war in Syria has captured the world’s attention, while around the globe there are 20 million people seeking sanctuary from war and oppression, in search of a life worth living.
Esna Su, a recent graduate from Central Saint Martins and originally from the South of Turkey, has created a collection based on the struggles of Syrian refugees who have been forced to abandon their homes and flee the conflict, continuing their lives in small tents in refugee camps.
Continue reading to find out more about Esna’s work.
The first part of the collection is constructed and twined mainly with paper rush, representing the need for protection and expressing the isolation of refugees in their newly adopted homes. The works almost cover the wearer to give a warm, therapeutic feeling.
The Refugee Headpiece, Paper Rush
Paper rush is used to construct and represent the need for protection and shelter and express isolation that their refugees feel.
The Burden Bag collection is informed by the belongings which refugees have to leave behind, and which can only be conserved in memories. Vegetable tanned leather cord was combined with sentimental objects to form hollow shapes, which in turn contain memories and the loss of the past.
We love the way Esna has pushed the boundaries of her chosen materials in a contemporary way, while conveying strong sentiment and feeling through the artwork. Esna should be commended for her moving, thoughtful pieces that present modern day crises in an alternative medium.
Images © Esna Su and © Mint