Exhibition and Event: Silent Tears

25/02/2016

“Photography has a well-regarded role for bringing the plight of silent victims into focus, providing a powerful opportunity for understanding and action. Bearing witness to the realities of these twelve women’s lives should be uncomfortable and challenging for audiences,” Belinda Mason

'Now many decades on, she was able to reveal for the first time the ongoing sexual violence she endured as a child with physical disability. She is no longer threatened by the perpetrator, yet the psychological trauma forces her to be anonymous in this project and unlike other participants reveal no further information about her experience. She is one of the many who still are trying to make sense of, and come to terms with, what happened to them, before they feel they can speak out.” -Belinda Mason with permission from the participant
photo by Belinda Mason

When: 1 March – 22 April 2016

Where: Herbert Freehills Law Library; New Sydney Law School Building F10

Accessibility information: http://silenttears.com.au/accessibility-options/

Belinda Mason’s Silent Tears reveals twelve Australian women’s haunting stories of disability and violence using saturated water to symbolise the streams of tears these survivors have silently endured.

Each participant has either experienced violence because they have disability, or has acquired a impairment, as a result of violence. Theirs is a powerful and compelling story of psychological, physical, emotional, economic, and cultural violence. The participants of the exhibition share their stories of domestic violence, forced sterilisation, psychological trauma, neglect and violence within institutions, and by family members.

“The power of Silent Tears lies in the hands of those who participate in it. Without stories there is silence.

“With the impact of my son’s death, and after having the girls and then a still born, five days before its born, and the relationship I was in with my ex-partner was violent all the time. I was treated not like a person; to me it was like an animal. I couldn’t handle it, being bashed all the time, getting cheated on by someone O loved so much. I just got tired of all that and I turned to drugs. Now as a person I know I can overcome all that life throws at me.” – Anonymous, Australia 2015
photo by Belinda Mason

Without stories told, we are voiceless. Without our stories heard, we are invisible. It is even harder when the stories are hard to hear and impossible to imagine,” said Belinda Mason.

Silent Tears is the result of three artist’s exploration of 12 women’s stories using a variety of photographic techniques and multi-media. Led by Mason, and supported by artists Dieter Kiernan (video) and Margherita Coppolino (documentary photography), audiences are immersed in the participant’s experiences to stimulate a deeper understanding of the diversity of violence, discrimination and survival.

Contact:

Belinda Mason: photography@belindamason.com Website: http://www.belindamason.com/

 

Join us for a special presentation by two of the artists, Belinda Mason and Denise Beckwith followed by a panel discussion on the issues.

Wednesday 6 April
7 to 8.30pm
Law School Foyer
Level 2, Sydney Law School
Eastern Avenue
University of SydneyThe event is free, but registration is required

#silenttears #sydney_library