Summary

Digital colour photograph of Melbourne-based, Egyptian-Australian artist, Tadros Hanna, taken by Woodrow Wilson in Melbourne in 2020. Tadros is part of a collective artwork 'Attache Case' co-ordinated by Peter Burke in 2015. Tadros created three artworks in this collection: 'Harmony' (HT HT 56009.39), 'Our Journey' (HT 56009.40), and 'Home' (HT 56009.41).

Artist statement provided by Tadros in 2021: 'Tadros Hanna is an Australian-Egyptian visual artist, architect, Harmony Ambassador, volunteer, public speaker and community leader. He was born in Cairo in 1971, awarded his bachelor's degree in fine arts (architecture) in 1994, and worked as an architect in Egypt for 20 years. Tadros and his two children, Carla and Youssef, arrived in Melbourne in 2015 and were granted Australian citizenship in 2020. Tadros has participated in many national and international art shows including solo exhibitions, murals, short films, art projects and workshops for the community. In 2018, his paintings were displayed at Parliament House, Victoria as part of the My Country Colours exhibition. He held his first duo exhibition with his daughter, Carla Tadros in Melbourne in 2021. Tadros' paintings combine iconography that evokes the rich and complex mythologies and spiritual traditions of his heritage. His recent work explores themes of hope, harmony and life, and the power of creativity in affirming life, love, and connection between people. Tadros says, "Life is hope, and hope is life". He believes art is the best way in which to explore, connect and express the dreams we all share.'

'Our Journey: Our inner immigration or refuge journey to Australia is simply a human journey from pain to hope.'

'Home: Everyone is looking to settle and to find finally home. Australia is my home where I belong, where I feel comfortable expressing myself freely, and where I contribute.'

'Harmony: When everyone and everything fit together, Harmony is simply our diverse community in Australia.
This shows the views of trees and fences that people in MITA always see. Nature and fences surround them.
MITA=Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation).'

The collective artwork, entitled 'Attache Case' (HT56009), was created by Melbourne artist, curator and lecturer Peter Burke in 2015 as part of an international touring art installation, 'Low-Cost Diplomatic Bag', auspiced by the Spanish Embassy, and curated by Nilo Casares and ArtEx Madrid. It travelled to the Spanish Embassies in five countries, including Australia, in 2015-2016 (one venue included Immigration Museum, Melbourne). 'Attache Case' is comprised of a re-purposed doctor's medical case which opens to reveal small drawers containing 41 individuals' miniature paintings representing 21 refugees from Afghanistan, Vietnam, Poland, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Iran, Egypt and Iraq.

Description of Content

Half-portrait image of man in blue suit with a grey background.

Physical Description

Digital-born photograph supplied in digital form by the donor.

Significance

'Attache Case' is a collective artwork created in 2015 in response to an invitation by artist, Peter Burke, to a number of asylum seekers and refugees in Melbourne to express their experience visually. The refugees and asylum seekers (some in detention at the time of the project) who produced the artworks came from diverse countries including Afghanistan, Vietnam, Poland, Colombia, Sri Lanka, Iran, Egypt and Iraq. They explore diverse themes relating to detainment, immigration, border security policies, bureaucracy, and mental health.

The artists convey thoughts and feelings about freedom, opprtunities, life in Australia, resettlement, optimism, despair, grief, hope, fear and anger and the consequences of living in limbo. These refugee and asylum seeker's voices, concerns, and personal perspectives are not often publicly expressed and more often manipulated by media and politics or silenced in their community.

This complex artwork contains a diversity of cultures, genders, experiences, artistic styles, and responses. The oil and acrylic paintings are objects rich with symbolic meaning - both as a part of a luggage item reminiscent of the migrant experience, as well as a traveller's borderless container (representing migration, diplomacy, policy and bureaucracy) of voices that speak to the issues that are at the heart of the asylum seeker situation and debate.

More Information