By Avni Pande
2020
The process of immigration to another country is an arduous one, rife with anxiety and the pain of separation from what the individual once knew. It must be even more terrifying to flee one’s home as a result of violence, political struggle, or extreme poverty, and though it becomes a necessity to leave, a feeling of uncertainty for the future may linger on. Even worse, refugees placed in detention camps have to deal with having their dignity and basic human rights forcefully stripped away from them, as depicted in Safdar Ahmed’s graphic novel Villawood, published in 2015. As a result, these individuals silently endure even more suffering, while the rest of the world remains blissfully (and sometimes purposefully) unaware of their journey and struggles. Safdar Ahmed’s Villawood employs art as a way ofshedding light on the oppression and dehumanization of refugees fleeing their country, and paints a picture of the hopes and fears of this group of people.
The art style that Ahmed makes use of is eye-catching, and fully immerses the reader into this story. The novel is prevalently black-and-white, with occasional splashes of bright color (such as red) which call attention to the themes of violence and pain present throughout the work. One of the most prevalent characteristics of these graphics, however, is the decision to include close-ups of the face of each of the refugees introduced in the novel. In the first chapter, Ahmed talks to several of the refugees, who tell him that they have been essentially trapped in the detention camp for years, without any hope of being processed. One particular image and caption depicts the declining mental state and hopelessness of those who see no light at the end of the tunnel, revealing that “everywhere, there is evidence of anxiety, depression, and self-harm.” The image which accompanies this is that of a man holding his head in his hands, forehead creased in worry, and an expression of utter sadness or defeat on his face. Bringing the reader’s attention to the nuances of each refugee’s expression provides a window into their emotions with more detail than with just words, and allowing for an opportunity for the reader to empathize with them. Another significant portion of Villawood is composed of art pieces made by the refugees themselves. They include images of war, persecution, and death, such as those of Afghan men and women being executed by the Taliban. However, rather than an “objective” point-of-view, one gets to see these heartbreaking events from the perspective of those towards whom the violence is directed. Though the refugees are being suffocated inside the walls of detention camps, treated like prisoners, and with their voices taken away, they express themselves through their own art and enlighten those who are ignorant to their suffering.
Other graphic novels also illustrate the refugee experience through their art styles, and bring awareness to an overlooked group. Shaun Tan’s The Arrival is another story of individuals immigrating to a strange new country. While the country and the characters of the graphic novel are fictional, the style of art is incredibly realistic, as though one is looking at a snapshot from an old album. There are no words, unlike in Villawood, and the graphic novel is entirely in black-and-white. As a result, the reader must focus their attention entirely on the artwork present in the work, and decipher the story from it. Throughout the novel, the journeys of different individuals unfold, revealing the squalid conditions they were escaping from and the difficulties they faced in their new homes. For example, the graphic novel illustrates the journey of a young woman who was forced to work in a dangerous factory as a small child, and later secretly escapes on a train (Tan 54). Not only does the reader get a glimpse of the process of fleeing to another country through the artwork, but also the motivation behind the action, which creates a sense of empathy between the refugee and the person hearing their story. Looking more closely at the style of art itself, the prevalence of light and shadows in the novel can be noted, which is especially clear as the novel is entirely colorless. Certain frames are much darker than others, and provide a shadowy effect, while other frames are much brighter, as though there is light shining directly onto them. The stark contrast between light and dark is utilized in highlighting feelings of uncertainty and fear in artwork which is much darker, as well as more optimistic and hopeful emotions (portrayed with more light and brightness). Overall, the graphics of the novel provide an in-depth depiction of the sense of unfamiliarity that comes with arriving in a foreign country, and allows the reader to almost participate in and experience those same feelings.
Both The Arrival and Villawood use art to humanize the experience of refugees (who are treated poorly in detention camps, set up to fail in an unfamiliar country, and must essentially start life over again, while others are blissfully unaware of the struggles that they are facing). Though each story takes place in one specific country, the obstacles that immigrating individuals face are nearly universal. An uncertain future, an unfamiliar culture and language, and the trauma of living in an impoverished or war-ravaged country are all factors influencing the transition of someone seeking refuge in a new place. On top of that, they have to deal with prejudice and discrimination from individuals who are completely blind to the obstacle they have faced, as well as institutions in that new country which essentially set them up to fail. Detention centers, as indicated in Villawood, which treat refugees like criminals, also make it difficult for people to begin to integrate into society.
Like Shaun Tan and Safdar Ahmed attempt to do in their graphic novels, it is essential for us to shed more awareness on the plight of refugees around the world whose basic human rights are being mercilessly taken away, and who face racism and mistreatment at the hands of residents of that country. These people die in detention centers and have their families taken away from them. All of them harbor the same hope (that both graphic novels tried to display) of more opportunity and an environment that is safe from extreme bloodshed and violence for their loved ones. By learning their stories, we can gain a new perspective about lives which are so drastically different from ours, but just as meaningful.
Work Cited
Ahmed, Safdar. Villawood: Notes From An Immigration Detention Center. Medium, 2015. medium.com/shipping-news/villawood-9698183e114c#.dkkzlvlln/.
Tan, Shaun. The Arrival. Arthur A. Levine Books, 2007.
