Tag: Art

Seven women pose together for a group photo at the launch of Savera UK's Duality Vessels: Voices of Strength exhibition. The group is arranged across two rows against an exposed brick wall, with colourful artwork and blue-tinted lighting visible in the background, suggesting a gallery or event space. Four women stand in the back row and three crouch or kneel in the front. Several women are holding bouquets of tulips and mixed flowers. One woman in the back row is dressed in a formal military uniform. a black jacket with red detailing and a peaked cap, while the others wear a range of smart casual clothing, including a floral dress, a leopard-print scarf with a camel coat, a hijab, and colourful layered textiles. In the front row, one woman wears a red beret and a black-and-white striped top, and another wears a salmon-pink blazer. All seven women are smiling and facing the camera.

Community artists launch Savera UK exhibition

 Community artists have launched Savera UK’s exhibition exploring themes related to culture, identity, and the issues of ‘honour’-based abuse and harmful practices, including forced marriage, conversion ‘therapy’ and spiritual abuse.

Duality Vessels: Voices of Strength, is the outcome of a creative arts initiative from Savera UK. It was officially opened earlier this month at St George’s Hall Stable Gallery, in the Café 1854, by three of its artists, Omima, Shirley and Faye.

The exhibition, which features collage, photography and sculpture, brings visibility to abuse that is often kept hidden by silence and control, and explores identity, resilience, culture and lived experience.

Following a welcome by Savera UK CEO and Founder, Afrah Qassim, and a thought-provoking reflection on the exhibition by Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside, Natalie Reeves Billing, invited guests learned about how the artworks were created and the objective of the project from facilitator Amina Bihi.

To formally open the exhibition, three of its artists then took centre stage to talk about their artworks, share their experience of the programme and the impact that it has had on them.

Speaking of the creative arts programme, participant Omima said: “For this project we had to make something strong with very fragile materials. It reflects how women feel and how we can transfer this pain to become strength. Art allows you to say things you are afraid to say or don’t feel comfortable saying.

“In this project I found a way to express myself, even though English is not my first language. I didn’t have the words, but I had the feelings and art allowed me to express them.”

Fellow participant, Shirley, said: “One of the big things about the programme was the feeling of contentment in the space we worked in, of feeling safe to be completely who you were. It was like a friendship circle in the way we were working. Everyone could see each other’s work and be inspired by one another.

“In terms of art, it exposed me to a lot of different skills, it really built my confidence and made me believe that I could create something worthy. Another massive impact was that the programme allowed me to put myself in the position of a person who had lived experience of ‘honour’-based abuse and harmful practices and understand better what they might be experiencing and how I might become a better ally to those people and how I could reflect that in my art.

“My knowledge and understanding of these issues has increased but I think I am very much at the beginning of my learning journey. I hope that visitors to the exhibition will start to think about survivors, the experiences they are facing, and how to reach out to them.”

Faye, a local artist from London but now living in Toxteth, said: “The exhibition is about vessels, it’s about duality, it’s about looking at abuse through the eyes of a survivor, but it’s mainly about a group of women going through their struggles through their art and connecting as women in a room.

“Savera UK has taught me about ‘honour’-based abuse and harmful practices, and it has challenged me to be aware, not just looking out for the signs of someone who might need support but also by being an advocate and also looking at ways to communicate this through art. I really am grateful to be part of this project and to the Savera UK team for the work they do.”

The exhibition will be open to the public until Monday 30th April 2026. There will also be a series of workshops connected to themes in the exhibition, including an immersive sound bath (women only event) on Wednesday 8th April (10am – 12pm), and a HBA and harmful practices workshop led by Savera UK on Thursday 16th April (10am – 12pm). These sessions are free, but donations are welcome. Places are limited so booking is required.

Savera UK is a leading charity working to end ‘honour’-based abuse (HBA) and other harmful practices, including forced marriage, spiritual abuse and conversion ‘therapy’. It provides lifesaving and life-changing services for survivors and those at risk, regardless of age, culture, ethnicity, disability, sexuality, or gender. It also provides help and advice for professionals, training and education and research. In the last year alone, Savera UK has helped 339 clients and received almost 700 calls to its national helpline and submissions to its online referral forms.

If you think you or someone you know is at risk of or experiencing HBA or harmful practices, you can contact our national helpline 0800 107 0726 (10am – 4pm, weekdays excluding bank holidays). If you are at immediate risk, please ring 999.

For all Savera UK events, visit: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/savera-uk-113801969251