Artist:
Karen Hopkins
Forced Displacement is a mixed media sculpture that confronts the fragility of human existence amid forced migration. Set upon a piece of driftwood — a remnant of the sea’s relentless movement — the sculpted heads of displaced individuals emerge as silent witnesses to the perilous journeys undertaken by refugees in search of safety.
The driftwood, shaped by time and tide, serves as both vessel and metaphor — a fragment of survival carrying the weight of human loss and resilience. Each head, distinct yet collective, represents the universality of displacement: the faces of those uprooted, unseen, and unheard
The sea, both giver and taker of life, becomes a poignant symbol of vulnerability, hope for the future, and danger intertwined. I hope that this sculpture will invite reflection on empathy, belonging, and global citizenship.
Other Works by Karen Hopkins
Acknowledgment of traditional owners.
We would like to pay our respects to the traditional owners of the land on which our building stands, their leaders, past, present and emerging.