Gallery Oldham exhibition showcases refugee Syrian family

It comes in the form of a compelling new art exhibition 'In Which Language Do We Dream?', which Gallery Oldham, on Greaves Street, will present to the public from next Saturday (February 10).

The Oldham Cultural Quarter will showcase the al-Hindawi family through intimate photographs and film, providing an emotional look at their journey where they fled their home in Homs, Syria in 2012 due to the ongoing civil war.

It explores their experiences living as displaced people in Lebanon and later resettling in East Yorkshire in 2017.

Rayan, Driffield, East Yorkshire, December 2020 (Image: Rich Wiles)

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“Our lives have been different in every place, in Syria, Lebanon, and now England, and we want people to see this,” said Ruba al-Hindawi, the family’s matriarch whose pre-war job was working in a photo lab.

“Our photographs help to explain this, and I want our children to be able to see how our lives have changed because I don’t know if we will ever be able to go back home or not.”

Co-created by photographer Rich Wiles and the al-Hindawi family over five years, the exhibition juxtaposes the family’s rescued old family photos with contemporary images capturing their journey and new life in the UK.

Hanan (right) and Rayan photographed by their mother, Ruba, while playing with a dog in their neighbours garden (Image: al-Hindawi family)

It offers an intimate look at the human impact of displacement and hopes of rebuilding lives.

There will be an opening event on next Saturday at 2pm with photographer Rich Wiles discussing the exhibition.

In Which Language Do We Dream? runs from February 10 to May 11 and is suitable for all ages. It is a touring exhibition from Impressions Gallery. 

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