In Hannah Rose Thomas’s portraits we come face to face with the grief and loss of bodily integrity, with the integrity of human lives lived within the environment. In the portraits we come face to face with women (and men) who have been displaced and we see into a future that we have a chance to change, into suffering that might be prevented.

In this exhibition the UNESCO Chair for Refugee Integration through Languages and the Arts joins with the Chaplaincy at the University of Glasgow and Interfaith Scotland, to offer a window into a future world, through portraiture.

No Words is a closing observance on the last day of the exhibition. Book your free in-person or online ticket here.

In Person

Guests from refugee communities are invited to come and sit with the portraits in silence and have time to reflect. Invitations will be for those from traditions where the use of icons are a familiar and sustainable part of being at home.

Hannah will be in attendance. The event will be run in a Covid-safe manner in line with Government regulations.

If you would like to join this small, in person opportunity to view and sit with the portraits in silence in the beautiful University Chapel, please email unesco-rila@glasgow.ac.uk.

The Chapel and exhibit will be closed to other entrants for the duration of the closing observance.

Via Zoom

In the prayerful, meditative tradition of Icon painting and use, paintings are looked upon in silence.

So much of work with refugee and asylum systems depends on words, advocacy, writing and shouting, evidencing and legal arguments.

In this one hour zoom there will a chance to sit quietly, with one portrait of one of the women painted by Hannah. The camera will stay on the portrait for the whole hour and you are invited to sit with us as we acknowledge that sometimes silence is necessary and sometimes there are no words to express the myriad emotions produced by human suffering.

Part of the human ecology of refugee is silence and this will be a chance to respect this too.

Hannah and some guests will say a few words at the start of the event. To attend virtually, please register for a Zoom ticket.

Should you have any questions about the event or registration, please email unesco-rila@glasgow.ac.uk