Two Kiwi artists have spent hundreds of hours painting realistic portraits of women in traditional garb to put a human face to the issue of sex trafficking and to help raise funds in the fight against it.
Phil Hanson and James Ballantyne's work will be exhibited and auctioned tomorrow. The proceeds will go towards an anti sex-trafficking organisation in Thailand.
The duo started the project 18 months ago after Zimbabwean-raised Hanson was inspired by the work of Nepalese social activist Anuradha Koirala. She has helped rescue more than 12,000 women and girls through her non-profit organisation Maiti Nepal.
![The portrait Khoafang by James Ballantyne is part of a fundraiser to raise money to stop sex trafficking. Photo / Supplied](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/resizer/v2/EDYFWJWYCFORQ7WXIXWOBHZ5QM.jpg?auth=dd31012361c02846db2263e48cfa9beeee5df9a7648b8e3275d8bcb87aac6340&width=16&height=21&quality=70&smart=true)
Koirala famously told people to imagine that each victim was their daughter. This inspired the name of the exhibition: Face of a Daughter.