时间:2019-01-03 作者:英语课 分类:2018年VOA慢速英语(十二)月


英语课

Syrian Art in a Suitcase


Syrian-born artist Mohamed Hafez creates little worlds inside of suitcases.


One of his art works looks like a building that was blown open by a bomb. It has small pieces of clothing among the destruction to represent the people who once lived there.


"I think the human eye is fascinated by the detail of destruction," he explains. We are always curious to find out what happened."


Hafez's art works show the damage caused by the seven-year civil war in his native Syria.


"There's nothing glamorous 1 about destruction," Hafez says, "but I use it as a…way for me to heal and creatively weep over the destruction."


Hafez is an architect who designs large, modern buildings. In his art work, however, he makes small versions of buildings, cars and other things.


His art show, called "Collateral 2 Damage," is being held at the Fairfield University Museum in Fairfield, Connecticut. It has artwork representing Syria before the war, Syria during the war and the experience of refugees. The show also has his most recent work, which examines Syrian people who have left their country.


Hafez’s representation of the refugee experience has won recognition in the past few years. One reason is that the small scenes are placed in real suitcases – ones once carried by real refugees as they fled.


“A lot of people came to me with their parents’ and grandparents’ suitcases. I’m talking about Jewish communities, Irish communities, German communities, Indian communities,” said Hafez. He added that the suitcases reminded people of their own immigrant history.


Some of the suitcases go back to the 1800s. As the "belongings 3 of yesterday's immigrants," they play a part in telling "the story of today's immigrants to remind us collectively that history could repeat itself," Hafez said.


Hafez is an immigrant himself. He brings his own understanding of the refugee experience. Born in Damascus, Syria, he grew upin Saudi Arabia. He arrived in the U.S.15 years ago as an architecture student. He came on a single-entry visa, which meant he could not go home for the first eight years.


"This has caused a lot of homesickness and longing 4 to the beautiful country that I have left. I started using…leftover materials from architectural model making. And I started remodeling old Damascus and old Aleppo in miniature form."


Hafez believes he is providing something for “the American skylines" as a Syrian and a Muslim. Hafez said he is "proudly a member of (American) society. I call America my home."


Hafez is fighting for his America through his art. He hopes to answer people who question the value of immigrants in America.


Museum visitor Tre Kayumba is an immigrant to the United States. He came from the Congo, but was raised in South Africa.


He said that Hafez’s artwork "speaks to the human condition," and how disagreements "can result in total destruction."


I’m Susan Shand.


Words in This Story


suitcase –n. a large container used to carry clothing and belongings while traveling


fascinate – v. to cause someone to be very interested in something or someone


curious –adj. having the desire to learn or know more about something


glamorous – adj. very exciting and attractive


weep – v. to cry very deeply


architect – n. one who designs buildings


collateral – adj. related but not in a direct or close way


miniature –adj. very small



adj.富有魅力的;美丽动人的;令人向往的
  • The south coast is less glamorous but full of clean and attractive hotels.南海岸魅力稍逊,但却有很多干净漂亮的宾馆。
  • It is hard work and not a glamorous job as portrayed by the media.这是份苦差,并非像媒体描绘的那般令人向往。
adj.平行的;旁系的;n.担保品
  • Many people use personal assets as collateral for small business loans.很多人把个人财产用作小额商业贷款的抵押品。
  • Most people here cannot borrow from banks because they lack collateral.由于拿不出东西作为抵押,这里大部分人无法从银行贷款。
n.私人物品,私人财物
  • I put a few personal belongings in a bag.我把几件私人物品装进包中。
  • Your personal belongings are not dutiable.个人物品不用纳税。
n.(for)渴望
  • Hearing the tune again sent waves of longing through her.再次听到那首曲子使她胸中充满了渴望。
  • His heart burned with longing for revenge.他心中燃烧着急欲复仇的怒火。
学英语单词
AAGUS
advauncing
agenthood
antitraditionalism
apomixes
bartang r.
Beijing Geodetic Coordinate System 1954
biologic energy
blocked operation
BOL (beginning of life)
broadcast home
bunk covers
cesar chavezs
chronotron
Coast is clear
coilingly
crankum
CRW
cut-off valve
defence spending
detective time constant
dilacerating
dragon piece
Dueodde
ECLA
electriclpower station
elstein
equulites absconditus
etherising
Eurosam
external hemorrhoid
ferte
fish strainer
fishing bank
fore line
forward lead of the brushes
funds for fisheries
Greenwich mean noon
helping-hand phenomenon
Holtwood
homotaxia
hot and hot
how are you fixed for sth?
ingan
initial orders
integrated camera
interior escape stair
isolated phase bus bar
isolated sign
Jovian magnetopause
klammers
La Gloria
Latimeridae
leprosied
leukorrheal diseases
liriodendra
Lithcarb atmosphere
logging depot
love-egg
mariner project
Minalpha
mother wart
Mountain Lakes
NOC (network operation center)
nondimensional
number of magnetic flux inter linkage
oilnut
optical shutter
papaveraceous
Payong, Bukit
photoelectrical refrigeration
polyformate
prescribed value
pressure-main
printed substrate
psychiatric drugs
radioiodinated steroid
random schedule
red-lead putty
ridged beach plain
Rose-cold
semidarkened
silktails
single-particles
sound post
strobe memory
study-time
swastikas
tallow-tree
tallowing
the-writings
Tongoy
trans-regulator
trolley-jib tower crane
unmediatized
vitellogenins
water tight sluice door
welfare building
wet calender stack
window film
wine-based
working principle diagram