Questions of migration explored in Denmark artist Ruth Halbert’s ‘seeking refuge seeking reckoning’ exhibit

Denmark artist Ruth Halbert explores the complex issues at the heart of being a newcomer to Australia in her latest exhibition. In seeking REFUGE, seeking RECKONING, Halbert makes a poignant comparison between the differing treatments of historical migration narratives and modern harsh refugee policies, asking why a nation built by boat arrivals now penalises those who arrive in a similar manner. The four-part exhibition covers stories of migration, belonging and refuge and invites audiences to reflect on the complexities of human mobility and the pursuit of safety. Halbert said she hoped to spark real conversations with her exhibition. “As an artist, I aim to create spaces for reflection and dialogue,” she said. “’seeking REFUGE, seeking RECKONING’ invites viewers to engage with the multifaceted narratives of migration and refuge in Australia,” she said. “Through art, we have the opportunity to challenge perspectives and foster empathy towards those who seek safety and belonging.” The gallery’s first room features an immersive installation of paper vessels called ‘Castaway’, with each paper boat offering the true story of a persons arrival in Australia. Halbert said she has collected a variety of tales over the eight years she has been creating the piece. “One boat is the story of a woman who came over from the UK with her husband and felt at home within two days,” she said. “But another talks about a mans parents who fled to Australia from Italy as refugees after WW2, and that they never felt at home here.” The second room contains the final three parts, all asking viewers to confront the treatment of those who seek refuge in Australia, igniting discussion about compassion and the responsibility of nations in addressing humanitarian crises. ‘Witness’ is a series of facecloths stitched with community responses to the treatment of offshore refugees. ‘Proclamation’ is a tapestry of combined extracts from an 1833 issue of The Perth Gazette, with Governor Irwin’s proclamation on the deaths and warrants for Indigenous leaders and a settlers letter regarding the treatment of the natives entwined together. “Lest We Forget’ is a series of fourteen woven cloths, one for each man who has died in offshore detention. Halbert said textiles is her often her choice of medium due to its universal use. “Cloth is good for engaging with people,” she said. “You may not know details about a person, but you know they wore clothes and slept in sheets. “This is a material that has some intimate significance to us all.” The exhibition opens at the Albany Town Hall on Friday, May 3 at 6pm and runs until June 1. Halbert will give a talk at 11am on Saturday, May 4, and will be present in the gallery over selected days of its run.