The creation of Destination Diaspora intended to ignite a conversation and evoke an emotive response with the general public through an installation experience, guided by a printed collection of accounts that became a valuable artifact in itself. The viewer has the opportunity to discover an intergenerational and cross-cultural connection while gaining an intimate perspective on the plight of the refugees in our communities. I asked each individual set questions, then allowed them to tell me anything else they wished to share freely. It was a unique experience to sit down with each person face to face and hear their stories.
I asked each individual set questions, then allowed them to tell me anything else they wished to share freely. It was a unique experience to sit down with each person face to face and hear their stories. The fact that they trusted me with their stories meant a lot to me, and I couldn't possibly appreciate it more. What mattered the most to each person was safety. To feel safe and accepted in a new land meant everything. Some came with little; some came with nothing. All expressed the need to keep their culture alive. Maria, through telling her family her stories, Helen through teaching her children the traditional Sudanese dance, and Robert was keeping the younger generations educated on the Holocaust.
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Destination Diaspora
My personal immigrant/refugee background and the contemporary significance of the Syrian refugee crisis inspired me to research individual immigrant/refugee narratives.
2016
Print & Installation | Honours Project
College of Creative Arts | Massey University
The tactile experience of fabric and the relationship between type and imagery tells the narratives of five individual refugees and immigrants, from the struggle and danger in their homeland to the safety and new beginnings of life in New Zealand. All content used quotes from the interviews I held. The viewer is taken through their journey by first learning their name and seeing their face. Then they know why they had to leave and what they left behind in contrast to then being informed of their experience starting life again in New Zealand. The tip-ins are their answers to my specific interview questions. Towards the end of the book, the viewer can choose to 'meet us' and continue reading to learn more about each person.
The aesthetic of the print is a precious artifact in itself. It is meant to feel delicate with contrast to the alarming quotes and type, also incorporated with their fled homelands' harsh images. I chose to use Calico, thin and neutral-toned fabric with a raw, easily frayed texture. All individuals brought with them were the clothes on their backs; for some, this was the only thing they brought. In a way, I feel the use of fabric symbolizes this. Using the laser cutter, I rastered my type into the material. Its fragile state is reflective of refugee situations and their narratives of hardship. I initially explored fabrics and patterns that represented each individual but felt this ran the risk of becoming unauthentic. Instead with keeping the design consistent, the individuals have a visual connectedness.
The installation is the printed book brought to life and immersed in a space. The viewer will emotionally and physically traverse through my installation that also effectively tells each person's narrative. They will take the refugee's journey and follow the footsteps of the individual to gain more of an impactful understanding of the narrative. I proposed that this installation and print become an exhibition or pop-up exhibit. I wanted the viewer to have a physical experience, venture through the installation sheets, and follow the immigrant/refugee journey. I wished to collect narratives to grow and become even more diverse to support my aim for a cross-cultural and intergenerational connectedness. I could also see this in a museum space; I could see this amongst immigration archives.
The portrait illustrations capture the personalities and character of each individual and put a face to a story, giving the narratives an intimate approach. Not all of my participants wanted a photograph of themselves used; this made illustrations the best option and kept the design cohesive. You may pass these faces every day on the streets of Wellington, but now you know their story. The outlined maps create a layered effect and also give information on the physical length of each individual's journey.