Lisa Gilman (George Mason University)
Six young residents of Malawi’s Dzaleka refugee camp, George Mason University students, and I are producing a website and book documenting the camp’s arts and artists. The project brings visibility to refugee artists whose audiences are restricted due to isolation, poverty, and lack of mobility. It also counters stereotypes and raises global awareness around the plight of refugees, in Dzaleka and the world over. The presentation explores the value and challenges of a virtual community-based collaboration while highlighting the critical role that arts play in displaced peoples’ lives.
Part of 06-13 Adversity, Advocacy, and the Politics of Vernacular Artistic Expression, Friday, November 03, 2:30 pm–4:30 pm