Another day at the studio working through ideas of upheaval and displacement, using objects as metaphors.
I’m struck by the impact that being forced to leave one’s home and homeland must have on an individual.
As objects can suggest so much about their owners circumstances I’m playing with the notion of what objects any one of us would take with us if we had to leave our home and country at short notice and with no certainty of the course and duration of our journey to safety.
Would we have time to collect important documents, cash and cards, our phones, laptops and chargers. Would we find suitable clothing for ourselves and loved ones?
Some of the objects that had seemed essential begin to have less importance as we make our way across boarders, negotiating transportation by land and sea. Would laptops be sold or bartered for food and clothing? Would we always hold on to our mobile phones no matter what in the hope that they link us to others outside the immediate situation.
In my drawing work I have imagined a ‘what if’ scenario. What if all I have is the contents of my bag, purse or pockets? Will they help me to survive? Seemingly useless objects might find new use and thus new meaning. I imagine that whatever these possessions might be, as each day takes me further from home, they take on new significance.
Whilst working with a handful of objects I think about our ongoing fascination with artifacts found throughout history, representing the everyday experiences of our ancestors. We view them with fascination, with sadness sometimes. Here I feel, I am dealing with such artifacts in the present, revealing the plight of thousands of people affected at this moment. My little collection of objects rings with despair – would there be any point in trying to prepare yourself – would a bag full of possessions help you in the long run?
In my last post I referred to a mobile app called ICOON which has been designed specially for displaced people, enabling them to communicate with people of other tongues using universally understood icons. The app is simple to use and really enlightening as to the kind of situations a refugee might find themselves in (it includes an icon for bribery if you can imagine what that might look like!)
One of the icons is a USB cable which I have used in my drawings as it struck me that this everyday object would be incredibly valuable. The USB represents an opportunity to gain a little bit of personal power in a hugely impossible situation.
