Arts Of Survival introduces four artists who have recently arrived in Canada as refugees.
A husband and wife from Honduras, both painters, show how their work assisted them in adapting to life in Canada. The drawings of their children, aged six and nine, who fled with them, illustrate the transition in their lives from existing in a war zone to relative peace in Canada.
A weaver from Guatemala, her backstrap loom tied to an apple tree in a Vancouver backyard, speaks of the forced exodus from her village and how weaving is her cultural lifeline.
A refugee from Vietnam shares his unique form of collage made from torn scrapes of magazines, the only material available to him in a refugee camp, and explains how crucial this artwork is for him.
Arts Of Survival helps people not only to become more aware of the creative talents of Canada's immigrant population but also to see beyond the purely decorative to the stories that are being communicated.