Home? A photography exhibition showing the plight of refugees

Over the Christmas holidays, a group of St Andrews students visited the Calais refugee camp to volunteer to help with the refugee crisis. These refugees were forced out of their homes and must find and recreate the feeling of ‘home’ in a new country.

‘Home?’ hosted as part of the On the Rocks art festival, by Medsin St Andrews, is a photography exhibition of the works of students taken while working in the refugee camp along with other Scottish artists, all exploring the concept of ‘home’ and how to find again what is left behind in this time of crisis.

For the exhibition, the Dean’s Court Common Room was dimly lit along with music and poetry in the background. The featured musicians include Jim Byatt, Casper Sanderson, Flora Rowe, Katie Hurst, Catriona Lamb, and Lennart Ardeal. Sweet tea and a variety of home-baked pastries were for sale by donation along with many of the art works featured. All donations go to help Medsin St Andrews’ effort with local and global issues.

This exhibition also featured a couple works by Byron Kirk. Byron Kirk is a former combat veteran, having served in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as a documentary photographer. His pieces focus on the feelings of loss and isolation within members of the armed forces. More information about his works can be seen at www.byronkirk.com. His featured works in this exhibition showed how soldiers recreated home while in battle as a parallel to the refugees.

This was a beautiful evening, touching a poignant topic that many people choose to ignore. Photographs in the exhibition included many of children playing, people working, and the individual touches and personalisations made to the refugee camp by the people living there.  A wonderful event, many of the photographs showed the emotion and loss that comes with many modern crises. This event was absolutely wonderful and inspirational.

If you are inspired to help with this effort, more information about volunteering to help the refugee crisis can be found by contacting Medsin St Andrews.