African Refugee CooperativePatterns and circles, making everything out of nothing

In the entry hall at the top of the stairs, visitors are greeted by a large, colorful painting of two women walking. Behind the women are groups of more women, each group painted within a circle. Upon first glance, the circles do not seem like the focal point of the painting. However, other paintings that grace the various walls of the office have similar circles built into the design.the design. During a recent Christmas bazaar showcasing work from artists at StARS, Samuel, an artist from Sudan, was asked about the recurring circle themes in his paintings. He answered simply that it is the ‘hole of hope’. A refugee who has lived in Cairo for several years, he has painted for many years and studied art back in Sudan. When asked about the hole of hope, he talks about an exhibition in Cairo in 2004 that used talks about an exhibition in Cairo in 2004 that used art to elicit conversations and emotions about the con-cept of human dignity. It was during this exhibition that he first painted the hole of hope into his work. Now, the hole of hope is visible in each piece he paints. Samuel’s already beautiful paintings are made even richer by the knowledge that the simple circle that shows up in a detailed sun, a colorful ball, or outline of another image always represents something greater: the power of hope. Samuel is part of the African Refugee Cooperative (ARC) at StARS, a cooperative of over 30 refugees who create art to sell through a variety of venues in Cairo. Some of the artists, like Samuel, studied art in their home countries before moving to Cairo. Others have learned various skills here that they have put to use to create beautiful scarves, jewelry, mirror frames made of recycled materials, and a variety of other creations. of recycled materials, and a variety of other creations. Around the corner of the guild hall of StARS, the ARC has a long, narrow workspace and a shop filled with the various goods. Artists come and go, often working in the outdoor workspace. Ismail, the keeper of the keys and creator of many frames and paintings, can always be convinced to open up the shop--even when it is not shop hours. Enchanted visitors could spend it is not shop hours. Enchanted visitors could spend hours in the low-ceilinged, jumbled space, digging through the various treasures and creations.