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of Silence is a black and white documentary
featuring photography with narratives from Street Youth.
The exhibition was held at the Tin Sheds Gallery from
23 October to 14 November 1998.
The photographs are compelling and poignant; certainly
not the usual tabloid fare of "junkie, needle,
syringe," we are used to being force fed as an
image of Cabramatta. Sufferings, joys, ordinary activities
are artfully captured by Tiet Ho as a celebration
of youth, albeit a distinct section of Sydney youth.
But these beautiful depictions would remain pieces
of art were it not for the touching narratives accompanying
each photograph. The word pictures of distressed,
displaced, disadvantaged, marginalised youth are painted
from the heart without self-pity or begging for the
spectator's sympathy.
For example:
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Vu,
23-year-old Vietnamese-Australian says "Living
this life you stay in a group; the group is like
your family; you look out for them and they look
out for you like our group, we've been through
a lot together like getting into fights; being
on the run from police getting locked up mainly
bad things so we try and make a family make something
good for us".
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Loco,
19-year-old Chilean-Australian says "When
I was at school, I had a lot of problems with
aussies like I was a wog and that, so I hung out
with the asians they showed me respect; I couldn't
get that from the aussies. The asians I used to
run with, they backed me up; so I backed them
up."
The exhibition begs the question if our youth are
the future of the nation, what are we doing to ensure
a good future?
Well done, Lisa Maher and Tiet Ho, the exhibition
is a credit to you both. May I suggest we approach
Lisa and Tiet to ask if we can have the exhibition
at the FDS premises at Burwood because many of our
members would not have seen this fine documentary.
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