The refugee’s Armour -2022-2024
This work was based on a series of interviews with young male refugees and the artist in which they reference certain personal objects that symbolize their journey to safety following conflict. These objects are symbolic of their self-preservation during the journey to safety. The produced two solo exhibitions based on these personal objects from the refugee’s migratory journey, looking at the opposing narratives of the general media and the personal narratives of the displaced persons.
In this series of work Miriam’s goal was to expose the lesser told narrative of integration into a new society following conflict, exploring the vulnerability of the young male in the face of prejudice. Both Cyprus and Ireland have seen rising tensions against immigrant communities with recent organized protests outside refugee accommodation which seem focused on framing the young males as a threat and a danger to society. In this work Miriam isolates the personal story from the collective narrative.
