Visual arts project takes participants in search of freedom

A visual arts project by Kent alumni and Artistic Director of Unity Arts Collective, Surya Chandra, which brought together refugees, asylum seekers, migrants, students and other community members to explore the meaning of freedom through creative expression, culminated in an interactive public exhibition in April.

The FREEDOM project involved a series of workshops in which participants created sculptural human figures representing a wide range of emotions connected to journeys, uncertainty, hope, resilience, and belonging. These workshops created space for voices that were often unheard, encouraging dialogue, empathy, and a deeper understanding of the human experiences behind migration.

The focus was on building a shared space where people from different backgrounds could reflect on freedom, express their thoughts, and actively contribute to a collective work of art.

The sculptures created during the workshops formed part of the public exhibition in the School of Arts and Architecture at Kent, where visitors were encouraged to create sculptures together and contribute to a creative conversation about belonging, identity, and community. It offered a poignant reminder of the lived experiences of refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants, as some of the feedback recalls:

'It reminds you of the reality of displaced people. Globally we see ICE, Reform UK marches rise and attack immigrants.'

'I knew a lot about the journey of migration and have family who fled. But this was an exhibition that reminds you of where need for greater support.'

'Lots of emotive statistics reminded me of the immense emotional weight of refugees' journeys.'

The project was supported by Visual Artist and Puppeteer, James Frost; Multidisciplinary Sound Artists, Jesu Piceno and Ester Ricci; and Subhadip Mukherjee, a PhD student in the School of Humanities whose research focuses on narratives emerging from refugee encampment spaces, and the possibilities of resistance and subversion offered by them.

These themes align with the Kent's broader aspirations to be a safe and welcoming place for refugees, asylum seekers, and others who are displaced or forced to migrate as a University of Sanctuary.

Professor Paul Allain, Professor of Theatre and Performance, said: 'The whole experience had an engaging visceral quality, as we were immersed in experiences of migration and struggle, hitting hard. Cardboard figures suggested the lack of agency migrants might feel and the piles of Earth on the floor needed no explanation. Images suggested flight and movement, and the atmospheric sound evoked other worlds. We could make sense of this intellectually after the live performance by reading the data about migrants and their lives in the UK, looking at the art works and their response to themes such as home, and by hearing the very clear presentation that concluded the event by the project's researcher, placing everything in a context. In all, it was a very rich and stimulating event, touching on so many aspects of what freedom can be and might mean.'

Explore more about the FREEDOM project and its outcomes.