"Rasha" Aquired by the Permanent Collection of the Triton Museum of Art

Carla’s painting Rasha; Refugee from Iraq was recently acquired by the permanent collection of the Triton Museum of Art in San Jose, California. This painting is one from a series of portraits of refugees who have resettled in the Bay Area and Carla collaborated with the International Rescue Committee to source her models for the project. In essence, this is a portrait about the long-term casualties of war and how these so often disproportionately affect women. 

The Model, Rasha, fled Iraq after her mother was kidnapped, her uncles were killed and threats were made on her life and on the lives of her siblings by armed rebels. She traveled to Syria where she met her future husband in a refugee camp. She gave birth to her two children in Syrian camps before fleeing the civil war to Turkey and finally to Oakland, California. She writes, “Here in Oakland we struggle with life, language, some people, culture, raising kids, work and missing our families. But the good thing is we have met wonderful people who have helped us on our journey and have given us the strength to fight to be here in the USA. We hope peace spreads in the world.”

The Triton Museum of Art promotes a broad range of contemporary California art. More information about their exhibitions and permanent collection can be found at their website here.