Se Mig! - Anbragte børn udstiller

Every day, 8 children and young people in Denmark are placed in out-of-home care - around half of them grow up in an institution. But who are these children? Where do they come from and how do they see themselves? 100 children aged 7-17 years in care tried to answer these questions in the exhibition SEE ME, where they showed their self-portraits. What the portraits had in common was that they told a story told by the children themselves. It was the story of a difficult childhood, an everyday life without mum and dad - or the joy of moving on to a better future.

they showed their self-portrait. What the portraits had in common was that they told a story told by the child themselves. It was the story of a difficult childhood, an everyday life without mum and dad - or the joy of moving on to a better future.

Most of the children used their own face as a motif. Others painted themselves as an animal - one even painted himself as a cigarette butt.

During the process, the children were helped by 10 professional Danish artists working on a voluntary basis: Adam Saks, Andreas Schulenburg, Lise Blomberg, Kaspar Bonnén, Jes Fomsgaard, René Holm, Verner Brems, Hesselholdt & Mejlvang and Marianne Jørgensen.

The purpose of the art project SEE ME! was to shine a spotlight on children in care - to make them visible both as individuals and as a vulnerable group in Danish society.

At the same time, the project helped to strengthen the children's professional skills and self-awareness. The children underwent a special educational programme at their institution and at ARoS, where they saw different portraits, drew sketches and learned about colours.

Project Manager Sylvia Emilia Blazejowski, Children's Aid Day, said:

"The exhibition gives the viewer a personal encounter with the children as they reflect on their own identity - for better or worse. The portraits radiate a lot of power, nerve, emotion and honesty, showing that these children really have something to say. For the children themselves, the exhibition is a great way to be seen and heard. They need positive attention."

The exhibition was the result of the SEE ME! art project developed by the aid organisation Børnehjælpsdagen in collaboration with ARoS.