by Sahar Foladi
A young aspiring artist has crafted a creative way to adjust to life in Melbourne’s South-East.
Narges Hazareh, of Noble Park, dreams of establishing a successful career in art after many challenges keepher from doing just that as an Afghan refugee who lived in Iran for the past 20 years.
Born and raised in Afghanistan, her family fled the country as a Hazara minority to Iran. She describes life as “difficult” while facing racism from Iranians.
“I left Afghanistan very young, so I don’t remember much about my homeland.
“We were not allowed to open a business, have a sim card or a bank account.
“I was subjected to racism from Iranians and told I should work as a cook or a tailor – low level jobs associated with Afghans. It broke my spirit, so I stopped my studies. It was at that point that I decided that I had to leave Iran.”
She wanted to study IT but as an Afghan refugee wasn’t allowed to attend university in Iran. So she stopped studies after Year 9 taking on jobs at hair salons, did pedicures to support herself financially and that’s when she discovered resin art and unlocked her creative potential.
However, the Iranian Government’s restrictions restricted her from practising her passion on a larger scale.
Resin art is created when a runny chemical called epoxy resin is combined with various colour pigments and additives to produce a blend of unique patterns and textures.
“I started very small watching an artist do basic techniques. I learned the basics and then I studied more at home.
“I started selling pieces and hired people to help me, but I was not allowed to set up a business by the Iranian authorities because I was a refugee. But in the future, I would like to start a business selling my artwork here in Australia.”
It has been five-months since she migrated to Australia, improving her English language and even setting up workshops in February next year sharing her passion and teaching the process of resin art, supported by her AMES case manager Farzana.
Farzana has connected Narges with an arts group in Hampton Park. which had led to opportunities and her flourishing as an artist.
“Upon her arrival, she felt excited and eager to grow her art.
“In her first meeting with me, she shared her artistic skills and asked for help in connecting with organisations that could support her goals in Australia.”
While it’s exciting and nerve-wrecking to start a new life in a new country, Narges misses her siblings and her partner who are still in Iran, hoping to bring them to Australia with her.
“I am very close to them. I was struggling when I first came, feeling overwhelmed and missing them
“Now I feel a little bit better but my heart still feels very tightened sometimes thinking of them.”
Her upcoming workshop is considered to be a breakthrough in her career, helping her to keep busy and move closer to achieving her dream.
Speaking of her first upcoming workshop, she says she is eager to help people who are interested to learn.
“I feel very good. I really want to teach them everything I know and it’ll be a very proud moment for me.”
She has conducted workshops in Iran after she started to attract pupils to her resin art journey.
Narges creates physical objects like diary covers, bookmarks, clocks and much more with resin.
The young and motivated artist is full of potential saying she welcomes anyone who is willing to learn from her.
She regularly posts her works and its progress on her Instagram page Gallery_sun.
