Lost Girls

About

Thirty years on from the famed charity exhibition ' Little Pieces from Big Stars’, War Child UK and Flowers Gallery announce an important autumn exhibition and fundraiser. Opening on October, coinciding with the UN International Day of the Girl Child, the exhibitionLost Girls boldly addresses the profound challenges faced by girls affected by war.

Presented by War Child UK and created and curated by Intersectional Feminist Art Collective InFems, Lost Girls aims to empower with a focus on survival rather than victimhood. The exhibition aims to raise funds for War Child UK’s crucial work, providing support to children and their families in 15 countries worldwide.

The selection of artists and curators is purposeful, including individuals who have deep and personal connections with refugee communities, PTSD or come from territories where WarChild provides urgent care and support. InFems Artist-in-Residence and guest co-curator Nadia Duvallis a former child refugee who describes herself as “a bug on a permanent. A lost girl with suitcases full of nothing, but heir to a full voice."

Ai Weiwei is perhaps one of the world’s most famous artists and activists who has consistently sought to highlight the plight of refugees and human rights abuses through his work. He comments, “No matter the extent of efforts dedicated to the welfare of women and children, it consistently falls short of sufficiency. It is impossible to contemplate the prospects of humanity's future without their presence. In reality, irrespective of the ravages of war, poverty, and environmental upheavals, the most profound repercussions are endured by women and children. When assessing the contemporary level of civilization within our society, there exists a sole criterion: the capacity to safeguard and nurture the health and well-being of women and children.

”French Gabonese artist Owanto uses her art to tackle the horrors of female genital mutilation, while Ethiopian artist Tewodros Hagoshas dedicated his practice to displaced people, with his latest series of paintings celebrating the power, beauty, and resilience of women. Indigenous Australian artist Tracey Moffatt who has represented her country at the Venice Biennale, explores themes of race, gender, and identity through her powerful photography.

Other artists, such as Maggi Hambling, Marie Harnett, InFems co-DirectorsRoxana HallsandRebecca Fontaine-Wolf,art-punk pioneerLinderandCaroline Coon, a hero of the counterculture since the 1960s, place women and girls at the centre of their artistic practice. Many of the participating artists including radical British-born American ‘feminist-surrealist’Penelope Slingerhave created original works specifically for the Lost Girls exhibition. The full number of participating artists will be announced in September

Lost Girls will take place during Frieze Week, open from 10 – 14 October at Flowers Gallery and will also be for sale via Artsy from 26 September- 26 October. In a world filled with constant news of war, this timely exhibition enables the art world to raise awareness and funds, making a positive impact on the lives of girls affected by conflict.