The pieces by Noor Arzhang, which include two portraits of the late Queen painted in secrecy in a basement in Kabul, were among 24 works of art brought to Belfast by Darren Ferguson, director of the anti-racism charity Beyond Skin.
The pieces are being sold to raise funds for the artist and his family, who are currently in hiding in Pakistan while moves are made to allow them to seek asylum in Northern Ireland.
Darren has not only helped people to escape the brutal regime but is also giving refugee artists a space to display their work with a new studio in the city centre.
The secret location is abuzz with an array of talent from conflict zones around the world, with music, painting, sewing and singing all featured.
Noor Arzhang
“Since Afghanistan fell [to the Taliban] in August 2021, we have been trying to help people we know there,” Darren said.
“We have even been dealing with mercenaries on the phone, trying to get people out, and we’ve had some phone us up and ask for silly money to get someone out.
“At one point, I was in Lidl steering a shopping trolley while being part of a five-way group chat with people on the ground in Afghanistan warning us about Taliban checkpoints as we tried to navigate a safe way out for one family.
“It has been just surreal and complete chaos, and we have all been learning as we go along. It has been a collective effort by a number of groups, including ourselves, from around the world that had contacts in Afghanistan.
“We feel totally helpless as we can’t help everyone. People keep asking us to help evacuate them.
“I have been sent some horrendous videos which are so graphic that you wouldn’t want to see them.”
Darren and the team at Beyond Skin, many of whom are volunteers, work around the clock to help the many people seeking refugee status.
In 2021 the charity set up the Musicians and Artists at Risk Resettlement Scheme, designed to give creatives an outlet for their talent, as well as helping adults and children engage in artistic activities beneficial for their mental health.
Eight months ago, Darren realised there was a need for a space where these people could work on their art.
Noor Arzhang’s portrait of the Queen
With asylum seekers living in cramped hotel accommodation and being barred from working until their applications have been settled — a process that can take years — Darren knew many were struggling with their mental health.
“These people don’t have control over their destinies and every single one of them is dealing with trauma.
“We have around 100 people using it every day. We turned an old building into a number of studios with the help of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, the Lightbody Foundation and other funding sources.
“I have to give credit to the arts sector in Belfast, which has been very good to us.
“Many of these people are right on the edge. One day I got a call to say that three people in one of the hotels were suicidal.
“I realised the Ulster Orchestra was rehearsing that day, and with their permission was able to take the three along. It just transformed them to be there.
“As an artist, I know how I function and I knew that they needed to get back to what they love doing.
“That is when I realised we needed a space for them to go and practise their [art].
“You have to understand the power of the arts to heal people, and that is something which sadly is not valued or understood by our decision makers.
“We have so many talented people who have come here.
“In July two of our artists were invited to go to Womad, which is the biggest international music festival on the planet.
“For Iranian musicians Omid Shir Mohammadi, a pianist, and Nasim Heirdari, a singer who came to Belfast last year, it was a dream come true to get to perform at one of the most prestigious festivals in the world.
“We have so much talent coming to our shores, and we really don’t understand the value they add to communities and our creative economy.
“Nasim and Omid were representing Iran and Belfast, a Unesco City of Music, on a global stage. That is something to be proud of.”
Mahsa Jahangirpour’s work combines Iranian and Celtic influences
One of the many people using the space is 34-year-old Iranian microbiologist and mum-of-two Mahsa Jahangirpour, who came to Belfast three years ago and has since been granted refugee status.
Mahsa worked in a pathology laboratory before having to flee for her life in 2021.
Art has always been a hobby — and it also became her coping mechanism.
“After giving birth to my second daughter here, I got depressed and the doctor’s medicine didn’t help, so I looked for a way to heal myself,’’ Mahsa explained.
“I started doing art again. It really helped me a lot and I wanted to volunteer to share the feelings with others because I knew that many people faced many problems on the way to immigration.
“It’s been two years since then and I have a lot of experience in teaching art to children and adults through Beyond Skin.
“I also do calligraphy to help promote my country, and I am the first person who has combined Iranian calligraphy with Celtic Irish.
“I actually had no place to work, and I am very happy now that I have a space.
“I have all my art supplies and I can think about art and new ideas without the stress of life. This is my dream.
“By talking to other artists, I get new ideas and better ways to improve myself.
“I’m so excited to get my materials and get started.”
Artist Seba Barhoum working in the studio
