LIBYA / ERITREAN REFUGEE ART

A passion and talent for art has provided comfort and hope for a young Eritrean refugee artist living in Libya, amid an ongoing conflict and a deteriorating economic and social situation due to COVID-19 lockdown measures. UNHCR

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:04
• Production Date: 23 June 2020
• Asset Language: Original
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR REFUGEES - UNHCR
• Subject Topical: REFUGEES
• Geographic Subject: LIBYA
• MAMS Id: 2548997
• Parent Id: 2548997
• Alternate Title: unifeed200623b

Description

STORY: LIBYA / ERITREAN REFUGEE ART
TRT: 2:04
SOURCE: UNHCR
RESTRICTIONS: PLEASE CREDIT UNHCR ON SCREEN
LANGUAGE: TIGRINYA / NATS

DATELINE: JUNE 2020, NEW YORK CITY

Shotlist

FILE – NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, Solomon painting in one of the empty rooms in the unfinished building where he lives
2. Close up, Solomon painting
3. SOUNDBITE (Tigrinya) Solomon, Eritrean refuge:
“Painting means life to me. It’s part of my life”.
4. Various shots, Solomon
5. SOUNDBITE (Tigrinya) Solomon, Eritrean refuge:
“All of the people when they pray, they get some kind of hope. And by using this painting for praying, people keep their faith.”
6. Med shot, Solomon wiping down one of his paintings of Jesus
7. Close up, Solomon wiping down one of his paintings of Jesus
8. Various shots, Solomon walking into unfinished building where he lives
9. 00:51 CU of Solomon going up the staircase
10. SOUNDBITE (Tigrinya) Solomon, Eritrean refuge:
“People’s thoughts are very much about coronavirus. They are so worried because most of the people live a hand-to-mouth existence.”
11. Med shots, Solomon looking out to Tripoli from his rooftop
12. Various shots, Solomon painting
13. SOUNDBITE (Tigrinya) Solomon, Eritrean refuge:
“I have been in Libya for three years, and one thing that gave us hope is being under UNHCR. We didn’t lose hope due to this and due to our faith.”
14. Med shot, Solomon painting

Storyline

A passion and talent for art has provided comfort and hope for a young Eritrean refugee artist living in Libya, amid an ongoing conflict and a deteriorating economic and social situation due to COVID-19 lockdown measures.

In an unfinished building in a downtrodden neighbourhood in Tripoli, Solomon Gebreyonas Alema, a 29-year-old Eritrean refugee, can be found most days sketching and painting in a small room.

SOUNDBITE (Tigrinya) Solomon, Eritrean refuge:
“Painting means life to me. It’s part of my life”.

Solomon has been drawing and painting since he was a young child. He is self-taught and has never attended formal art classes. His Christian faith is also a strong influence and much of his artwork is religious in nature. During the lockdown, he found escape in art.

SOUNDBITE (Tigrinya) Solomon, Eritrean refuge:
“All of the people when they pray, they get some kind of hope. And by using this painting for praying, people keep their faith.”

The dimly lit, overcrowded building he lives in houses around 200 refugees from Eritrea, Ethiopia and Sudan. The lockdown has left them struggling to get by.

SOUNDBITE (Tigrinya) Solomon, Eritrean refuge:
“People’s thoughts are very much about coronavirus. They are so worried because most of the people live a hand-to-mouth existence.”

Solomon left his home and family determined to pursue his dream of studying art. His attempts to reach Europe have so far failed and he is stuck in Libya for now.

SOUNDBITE (Tigrinya) Solomon, Eritrean refuge:
“I have been in Libya for three years, and one thing that gave us hope is being under UNHCR. We didn’t lose hope due to this and due to our faith.”

Libya has been under lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic since mid-March, preventing many refugees and migrants from earning money through daily labour.