This November, the London Jesuit Centre in Mayfair will open doors to a landmark exhibition of artwork created by guests of Caritas Bakhita House, a London-based safe house for survivors of Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery run by Caritas Westminster.
Open from 3 – 23 November, the exhibition will feature paintings, prints and hand-crafted items made during weekly art sessions held at the safe house, led by artist and printmaker John R Bateson. Each piece offers an insight into daily life at the centre, where the joys of newfound freedom and fellowship are mingled with the complexities of recovering from severe trauma.
Items on display include emotive paintings in which guests capture aspects of their experiences of exploitation, as an intricate quilt and flags reflecting the impressive sewing skills of several of the centre’s guests. Visitors to the exhibition may also recognise the house’s well-known Christmas tree made entirely of pages from the Evening Standard newspaper, created over 400 hours in response to a guest’s wish to celebrate Christmas during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Opened in 2015, Caritas Bakhita House offers 24/7 support to women escaping trafficking and exploitation, and has been home to over 200 women and 18 babies from 50 countries since opening in 2015. Rooted in the values of community and human dignity, the centre offers holistic support to its guests, through in-house therapeutic activities, personalised care plans, and help with accessing medical and psychological support.
Art is just one of many activities available to women at the safe house, which also include music and drama therapy, gardening and cooking, as well as English language, financial literacy and other practical skills courses to help them move towards greater independence.
Karen Anstiss, Head of Caritas Bakhita House, stresses the therapeutic power of art to help guests on their journey of healing. She explains:
'For many of the women staying with us, art can be an important step towards processing trauma that cannot yet be verbalised. Like other nonverbal forms of expression, art enables us to explore at a safe distance what might otherwise feel overwhelming and unapproachable. I am proud that we are able to showcase not only our guests’ incredible talent, but also their courage in facing difficult experiences and working to overcome them.'
Reflecting on the importance of the exhibition, art tutor John R Bateson commented:
'This is a great opportunity for these women who have suffered exploitation to showcase the immense creativity that I witness every week in our art sessions. These paintings, prints, cards, banners and quilt offer a glimpse into lively atmosphere of our classes, but also of life at Caritas Bakhita House as a whole. I encourage you to come along and see it for yourself.'
The Art of Healing will run until 23 November 2025 at the London Jesuit Centre.
Find out more about Caritas Bakhita House here.
