Far Away From Home

by Lin Hsin-Chen

 A large number of refugees swept through Europe, triggering severe humanitarian crisis. Not only the Syrian refugees, but also climate change refugees are forced to escape from home for new living places in search of hope and human dignity.

Empathy and humane justice are often mentioned in 2015, and even extended to in-depth discussion of the Earth's environmental and ecological changes. Whether it is disaster or war, people being described as “escape” from home are vulnerable and poor. We all know the reason. I’m impressed by the refugees’ great courage and determination in seeking a way out of despair. However, it’s difficult for lucky people like us to understand the real situation that helpless refugees are facing.

I’m thinking that we can neither choose the place where we are born, nor control our fate. Nobody wants to put himself into crisis and fear. However, all men are created equal. We are embraced by the warmth of the Earth and sun. So don’t make the sun in our hearts become unattainable hopes.

An ambivalent feeling has been bothering me since autumn. I’ve been thinking how the refugees beat the harsh weather. Honestly, I feel sad for them, and therefore every stitch I sewed became so heavy. I would like to contribute the sun of my heart to the refugees, and let the positive sunflowers praying for them. May the refugees a new lease of life and find their way home.

Thank you, Diane, for the challenge.

Materials: recycled fabric scraps, commercial cotton, hand-dyed cotton, hand-dyed lace, metallic thread, Romanian thread

Techniques: hand stitched, hand appliqué, hand pieced, hand quilted

Size: 40”x 40”