Hoda Afshar

Remain

Hoda Afshar’s ‘Remain Portraits’ are quite moving in their rawness and in their Noosa Woods location. I found the portraits to depict how these now stateless men on Manus Island have been stripped of everything but themselves, the elements, and the essentials for survival. The elements of earth, fire, wind and water feature, with these men in separate portraits, as well as a portrait with a chicken as a sign of food. With no sense of how much longer these men will remain in the Manus Island detention centre, I believe their biggest challenge would be to retain a sound mind. These portraits depict these mental challenges, often faced in silence, with no one to confide in other than fellow detainees who are facing similar challenges.

For me, the location of these portraits in the Noosa Woods brings two very different worlds together. The mangroves, forest, and banks of the Noosa Woods give a sense of what the vegetation may be like on Manus Island, PNG. The other side of the river provides a stark contrast to the current world of these Manus Island detainees with a stretch of multi-million-dollar riverfront housing, often demolished for a more lavish rebuild. I also found the calmness of Woods Bay alongside the portraits to contrast with the wild tropical latitude of Manus Island. As I gaze at this exhibit and its surrounds, I see portraits of people who have been stripped of it all, with a backdrop of the imposing heights of material wealth where people seemingly have it all.