Artist credit: Negin Chahoud @negin_chahoud
By The Pop-Up Project
In the peaceful embrace of the Southern Highlands, artist Negin Chahoud’s journey stands as a poignant testament to resilience, identity and healing. As an Iranian-Australian refugee, Negin’s life is a powerful story of survival, displacement and connection, which she now channels into her art practice. Through her unique approach, blending trauma-informed and socially engaged art, she invites others to confront and express their personal struggles, fostering a space for reflection and collective healing.
A Journey of Survival and Belonging
Negin’s journey to Australia began in 1989, when, at just eight years old, she and her family fled Iran by foot, escaping a landscape marked by conflict and political instability. They sought refuge in Pakistan, living there for two years before being granted permanent residency in Australia. These formative years shaped Negin’s sense of identity, imbuing her with a complex understanding of both belonging and longing – a duality that deeply informs her creative practice today.
“Art allows me to unpack the tensions between the longing for a homeland I will never return to and the safety I found here in Australia,” Negin explains. Her work delves into the psychological toll of displacement, balancing memories of loss with the freedoms she discovered in her adopted home.
Sharing Her Story: Refugee Week Reflections
During Refugee Week this year, Negin’s voice resonated with her local community. When the Southern Highlands chapter of Rural Australians for Refugees (RAR) hosted a screening of Freedom is Beautiful – a documentary chronicling the harrowing journeys of Kurdish refugees detained in Australia – Negin stepped in to share her own experiences with the audience.
Her account captivated the crowd, detailing her escape over mountains with her grandmother and their harrowing journey to safety. “The healing began for me when I started writing letters to my younger self,” Negin shared. “Those letters became the foundation of my art project, Letters of Love, which has spread internationally.”
The audience was deeply moved, and the lively Q&A session that followed sparked conversations about Australia’s detention policies, global refugee issues and the importance of advocacy. Donations from the event supported both RAR’s work and Negin’s ongoing project, bringing hope to those still trapped in refugee detention systems.
The Letters of Love Project: A Global Initiative for Healing
Inspired by her own need for healing, Negin launched Letters of Love – a collaborative art project aimed at fostering hope and solidarity. It began in a deeply personal way, shortly after Negin became a mother for the first time. Overwhelmed by the challenges of motherhood and the unprocessed trauma of her refugee experience, she began writing letters to her younger self, offering comfort and words of encouragement she wished she had received.
“I realised how powerful it was to write to that younger version of myself,” Negin reflects. “And it occurred to me – there are so many people out there experiencing similar struggles, people who could benefit from a community to lean on.”
The project is simple yet profound: Participants receive a blank postcard and are encouraged to write a message, quote, or even a single word to their younger selves. They then use that message as inspiration to create an artwork on the front of the postcard. With a reply-paid envelope provided, participants send the postcard back to Negin, contributing to a growing collection of heartfelt, visual messages from around the world.
“My dream is to one day exhibit these postcards in a gallery,” Negin says. “I want people to walk through that space, surrounded by these powerful messages, and feel uplifted and connected, knowing they are not alone in their struggles.”
What began as a small personal project within Negin’s mother’s group has blossomed into a worldwide initiative, drawing participants from diverse backgrounds. Each postcard carries a unique story of hope, resilience and self-compassion, embodying the universal need for connection and understanding.
A Vision for the Future
Negin Chahoud’s art practice reflects not only her personal journey but also a broader narrative of survival and renewal. Her commitment to fostering dialogue through art, as seen during Refugee Week, and her passion for community-driven projects like Letters of Love, exemplify the transformative power of creative expression.
As part of the Southern Highlands art scene and a proud member of The Pop-Up Project collective, Negin continues to inspire others with her story and her work. With every postcard created, and with every story shared, Negin is building a legacy of hope – one letter at a time.
For those who wish to participate in Letters of Love or learn more about Negin’s work, please visit our collective’s website or connect with us on social media. Through art, conversation and compassion, we can all play a part in creating a world where everyone feels seen, heard and supported.
