Tears of Gold: Portraits of Yazidi, Rohingya, and Nigerian Women By Hannah Rose Thomas

Happy publication day to Tears of Gold by Hannah Rose Thomas. This cover caught my attention and I requested an e-arc on Netgalley of it after reading the summary. “Profits from the book will go to charities that support women in conflict zones.” https://www.tearsofgold.co.uk/

About The Book 📚

Title: Tears of Gold: Portraits of Yazidi, Rohingya, and Nigerian Women

Author: Hannah Rose Thomas

Publication Date: February 6, 2024

Publisher: Plough Publishing

Genre: Arts & Photography, Biography, Multicultural

Pages: 136

Content Warnings: child abuse, death, domestic abuse, genocide, hate crime, misogyny, rape, sexual assault, kidnapping, grief.

About The Author

https://smittenforfiction.ca/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/69c98-hannahploughphoto.jpg

“Hannah Rose Thomas is a British artist and Durham graduate in Arabic and History, with an MA from the Prince’s Foundation School of Traditional Art in London. She is currently studying her PhD at Glasgow University as a UNESCO Scholar.” https://www.tearsofgold.co.uk/the-artist

ABOUT THE BOOK

“A celebrated young British artist uses her gift to convey the dignity and resilience of women survivors of violence in forgotten corners of the world.

This debut art book by British artist and human rights activist Hannah Rose Thomas presents her stunning portrait paintings of Yazidi women who escaped ISIS captivity, Rohingya women who fled violence in Myanmar, and Nigerian women who survived Boko Haram violence, alongside their own words, stories, and self-portraits. A final chapter features portraits and stories of Afghan, Ukrainian, Uyghur, and Palestinian women.

These portraits, depicting women from three continents and three religions, are a visual testimony not only of war and injustice but also of humanity and resilience. Many of the women have suffered sexual violence; all have been persecuted and forcibly displaced on account of their faith or ethnicity.

Hannah Rose Thomas met these women in Iraqi Kurdistan, Bangladeshi refugee camps, and Northern Nigeria while organizing art projects to teach women how to paint their self-portraits as a way to reclaim their personhood and self-worth. She gives women their own voice both by creating a safe space for them to share their stories and by using her impressive connections to make sure their stories are heard in places of influence in the Global North.

Thomas uses techniques of traditional sacred art – early Renaissance tempera and oil painting and gold leaf – to convey the sacred value of each of these women in spite of all that they have suffered. This symbolic restoration of dignity is especially important considering the stigma surrounding sexual violence. Hannah’s work attests to the power of the arts as a vehicle for healing, remembering, inclusion, and dialogue.

Long after the news cameras have moved on to the next conflict, this book shines a spotlight on the ongoing work of healing and restoration in some of the most vulnerable and marginalized communities around the world.

All publisher profits from this book will be donated to relevant charities.”
https://www.plough.com/en/topics/justice/social-justice/tears-of-gold

› “On International Women’s Day – March 8th 2024, there will be a special conference in Central London. Here you can see art and photography and hear first-hand from those on the frontline supporting women affected by war.

Hannah Rose Thomas travelled to some of the most violent places on earth to meet women affected by war. She led trauma-healing art workshops but also painted stunning portraits of the women, helping to tell their stories and restore their dignity.” https://www.tearsofgold.co.uk/

› Final Thoughts
• Poignant, and emotional, Tears of Gold is about violence, loss, trauma, hope and healing.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.