Braintree, 06.02.25
Yesterday we offered another printmaking session at the Braintree church drop-in. This was in preparation for an upcoming printmaking workshop with @gainsboroughshouse @gh_printworkshop as part of our project ‘The Hope Bridge’ and our year-long work supporting men housed in Wethersfield Asylum Centre in rural Essex.
It was a cold and foggy morning, men arrived with hoods up and cold hands. The heating in the church hall was on high and it felt welcoming to walk into the warm space.
We set the table with images of everyday scenes from Sudan, Eritrea, Afghanistan, Iran, Syria and Iraq. We also placed printmaking materials and carbon paper placed around the table. We pondered over one image of a budgie sitting atop a deck of small cards. Raman explained that in Iran you can pay for the budgie to pick you a card which depicts a fortunetelling poem.
A man from Sudan picked up an image from his country and questioned whether the man in the photograph was in fact him. He physically mimicked the pose, finally saying, ‘that’s not me but it could be me, maybe a cousin or a brother.’ Later we thought about how these images transport people back to their homes, streets and cities.
Another man from Syria, who we hadn’t met before came to the table. He spoke excellent English and talked about his parents farm and how his favourite things to do there was to take the sheep out to graze. He spoke of the freedom and solitude and said, ‘I miss it every day.’ A sentiment not often explicitly voiced yet always implied.
As always, the photographs of cultural everydayness created an inviting way in to the table and art making. Each person had something to say about the images, describing scenarios we would never have conjured ourselves. Quite literally bringing the images to life.
Words by Thomas Etheridge, Katie Miller & Raman Feiz.
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