Kurdish refugee Mostafa Azimitabar tells his personal story of resilience, through art
He’s also a Kurdish refugee who was detained on Manus Island for eight years after coming to Australia in 2013.
Mr Azimitabar said: “Everything on Manus was chaotic. There were lots of tortures, lots of punishment, fences around us, officers, noise of radios; I wanted to be away from that kind of sadness, I decided to be positive and create something that helps me to find my tranquillity."Now I continue painting with toothbrushes. When I use toothbrushes, I feel much better, I feel I have found my own style.
“This is the first time I paint a self-portrait. When I got free [from detention], I started painting on canvas and I use acrylic paint. So this [painting] has acrylic paint as well,” the former asylum seeker said.Reflecting on his Archibald Prize entry, Mr Azimitabar said he could see his sadness but also his strength and resilience.
Fellow Kurdish refugee and artist Farhard Bandesh said though he was only able to get his hands on a small number of art materials while at Manus Island, he still managed to paint 100 artworks in detention.
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