When Home Won't Let You Stay: Migration through Contemporary Art | ICA/Boston

Summary

The exhibition at the ICA explores the complex themes of human migration and its impact on society through contemporary art. It features works by artists like Reena Kallat, Richard Mosse, and Yinka Shonibare, who use various mediums to depict migration narratives, from personal stories to broader cultural influences. The exhibition serves as a thought-provoking platform for discussing the profound challenges and experiences associated with movement, borders, and identity.

Takeaways

• 🏛️ The ICA's exhibition focuses on pressing global issues, aligning with its history of addressing significant topics.
• 🎨 The exhibition is rooted in the belief that contemporary artists can tackle profound and challenging issues of our time.
• 🌐 Human movement is a historical narrative of civilization, driven by various reasons such as persecution, war, economic opportunities, and education.
• 🌳 The exhibition starts with Reena Kallat's 'Woven Chronicles', a large-scale installation symbolizing the movement of people and goods with electric cables.
• 🏘️ Artists in the exhibition explore themes of migration through different lenses, including borders, refugee camps, home spaces, and the sea.
• 👨‍🎨 Richard Mosse examines experiences at borders and migration routes, while Do Ho Suh delves into the concept of home.
• 🌊 Isaac Julien and Kader Attia focus on the sea's role in migration narratives.
• 🤝 The ICA collaborates with artists who are also activists, integrating their work into the community fabric.
• 🗣️ Anthony Romero's '...first and thought, then in action' is a community-driven project that began with meetings in East Boston, featuring a sculptural cart and performances.
• 📚 Yinka Shonibare's 'The American Library' is a monumental installation of 6,000 books, each covered in Dutch wax fabric and embossed with names of immigrants who influenced American culture.
• 🔍 The exhibition aims to be a starting point for deeper exploration and discussion on the complex topic of migration from various perspectives.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the exhibition discussed in the transcript?

The main theme of the exhibition is the exploration of migration and the movement of people, highlighting the profound and challenging issues associated with it.

Why does the ICA hold exhibitions on pressing global issues?

The ICA holds exhibitions on pressing global issues because of its long history and a profound belief in the role contemporary artists can play in addressing these issues.

What is the significance of the exhibition's focus on migration?

The focus on migration is significant as it tells the story of human civilization, reflecting on why people move due to persecution, war, or in search of better opportunities.

Which artist's work begins the exhibition, and what does it represent?

The exhibition begins with a large-scale installation by Mumbai artist Reena Kallat, which traces the movement of people and goods throughout the world.

What is 'Woven Chronicles' and what materials does it use?

'Woven Chronicles' is a wall drawing made using electric cables, symbolizing the implications of such lines drawn across territories and their dual role as both conduits and barriers.

How does the exhibition explore the concept of migration?

The exhibition explores migration through various artists' works that focus on different aspects such as borders, refugee camps, the space of the home, and the sea.

Which artists are mentioned in the script as focusing on migration narratives?

Richard Mosse, Do Ho Suh, Isaac Julien, and Kader Attia are mentioned as focusing on migration narratives through their art.

What role do artists-activists play in the exhibition?

Artists-activists like Tanya Bruguera and Michelle Ortiz play a role in the exhibition by integrating their work into the fabric of their communities, often addressing social issues.

What is Anthony Romero's contribution to the exhibition?

Anthony Romero, an artist and activist, contributed a piece titled '...first and thought, then in action', which began with community meetings and listening sessions in East Boston.

What is the significance of Yinka Shonibare's 'The American Library' in the exhibition?

Yinka Shonibare's 'The American Library' is a monumental installation consisting of 6,000 books covered in Dutch wax fabric, with the names of individuals who impacted American culture, highlighting the contributions of immigrants.

What is the intended outcome of the exhibition according to the script?

The exhibition aims to serve as a signpost, encouraging deep engagement with the topic of migration from various perspectives and fostering complex discussions on current cultural issues.

Outlines

00:00

🌍 'Migration and Art' Exhibition at the ICA

The script introduces an exhibition at the ICA that focuses on the theme of migration, a subject of global significance. It emphasizes the ICA's commitment to showcasing contemporary art that addresses pressing issues. The exhibition explores the historical and contemporary reasons for human movement, including persecution, war, economic opportunities, and education. It features a variety of artists and their works that reflect on migration narratives, such as Reena Kallat's 'Woven Chronicles,' which uses electric cables to symbolize the dual nature of borders as both connectors and barriers. Other artists like Richard Mosse, Do Ho Suh, and Isaac Julien contribute by examining experiences along borders, the concept of home, and the sea's role in migration, respectively. The exhibition also includes community-engaged art by activists like Tanya Bruguera and Michelle Ortiz, and a commissioned piece by Anthony Romero that involves community input from East Boston. The exhibition concludes with Yinka Shonibare's 'The American Library,' an installation of books symbolizing the impact of immigrants on American culture. The script suggests that the exhibition is an invitation to delve into the complex topic of migration from multiple perspectives.

Keywords

💡Contemporary Artists

Contemporary artists are those who create art in the present day, reflecting current social, political, and cultural issues. In the context of the video, contemporary artists play a crucial role in addressing challenging issues of the day through their work, which can provoke thought, dialogue, and change. The script mentions that the exhibition is rooted in the belief in the power of contemporary artists to engage with profound societal topics, such as migration.

💡Migration

Migration refers to the movement of people from one place to another, often across borders, for various reasons such as persecution, war, economic opportunities, or education. The video's theme revolves around migration, with the exhibition featuring works that explore different aspects of this global phenomenon. Artists in the exhibition are considering migration narratives, reflecting the human stories and experiences inherent in the act of moving from one place to another.

💡Site-Specific Installation

A site-specific installation is a type of art that is created in response to the specific location in which it is to be displayed. In the script, Reena Kallat's 'Woven Chronicles' is described as a large-scale, site-specific installation that uses electric cables to trace the movement of people and goods, symbolizing the implications of such movements on the people involved.

💡Borders

Borders are the dividing lines between different regions, countries, or territories. The video discusses how artists like Richard Mosse focus on experiences along borders and migration routes, highlighting the physical and psychological barriers that migrants encounter. Borders are a central theme in the exhibition, representing both the literal and metaphorical divisions that impact the lives of those who cross them.

💡Home

In the context of the video, 'home' is explored as a concept and a space that is deeply affected by the experience of migration. Do Ho Suh's work delves into the idea of home, possibly reflecting on the emotional and physical displacement that comes with moving from one's native land to a new one. The notion of home is complex in migration narratives, often representing both a place of origin and a place of belonging.

💡Activism

Activism involves the use of actions to promote, impede, or direct social, political, economic, or environmental change. The video mentions artists who are also activists, like Tanya Bruguera and Michelle Ortiz, indicating that their work is not just artistic but also serves to raise awareness and incite action within their communities. Activism in art is a way to engage with social issues more directly and to use the creative process as a form of social commentary and change.

💡Community Engagement

Community engagement refers to the process of working collaboratively with community members to address issues affecting the community. The script describes how Anthony Romero's project began with community meetings and listening sessions, indicating a participatory approach to art that involves the community in the creation and curation process. This engagement is essential for the exhibition as it ensures that the art reflects and resonates with the experiences and perspectives of the people it represents.

💡Cultural Impact

Cultural impact refers to the influence that individuals or groups have on a society's cultural norms, values, and practices. The video mentions Yinka Shonibare's 'The American Library,' an installation that honors individuals who have impacted American culture, many of whom are immigrants or descendants of immigrants. This work underscores the significant contributions of migrants to the cultural tapestry of the society they join.

💡Dutch Wax Fabric

Dutch wax fabric, also known as African wax print, is a type of cotton fabric with colorful and intricate patterns that originated in Indonesia but became popular in West Africa. In the video, Yinka Shonibare's use of Dutch wax fabric on books in 'The American Library' installation serves as a metaphor for the complex cultural exchanges and influences that occur through migration, blending European production with African and Caribbean aesthetics.

💡Great Migration

The Great Migration refers to the movement of millions of African Americans from the rural Southern United States to the urban Northeast, Midwest, and West that occurred between 1916 and 1970. The script mentions this historical event to highlight the ongoing impact of migration on American society and culture, showing that the themes explored in the exhibition have deep historical roots and continue to be relevant today.

💡Migratory Object

A migratory object, as mentioned in the context of the artist's work, is an item that embodies the concept of movement and transition, much like the migrants themselves. The artist's intention to create an object that is migratory reflects the desire to represent the fluidity and dynamism of migration, capturing the essence of the journey and the transformation that occurs as a result.

Highlights

ICA's history of exhibitions focuses on pressing global topics.

Exhibition emphasizes the role of contemporary artists in addressing challenging issues.

Human movement is a story of civilization, driven by various reasons including persecution and pursuit of opportunities.

Reena Kallat's installation visualizes the global movement of people and goods.

Woven Chronicles is a wall drawing made from electric cables symbolizing both connection and barriers.

Artists explore migration narratives through various themes like borders, homes, and seas.

Richard Mosse examines experiences at borders and migration routes.

Do Ho Suh delves into the concept of home in the context of migration.

Isaac Julien and Kader Attia focus on the sea's role in migration stories.

Activist artists like Tanya Bruguera and Michelle Ortiz integrate their work into community fabric.

Anthony Romero's community-based project includes a sculptural cart and performances reflecting East Boston's perspectives.

The artist's personal experience with immigration informs the creation of a migratory object inspired by street culture.

Yinka Shonibare's The American Library installation features books honoring immigrants' impact on American culture.

The exhibition serves as a signpost for deeper exploration of migration through art.

The exhibition invites audiences to engage with complex questions surrounding migration and culture.

Transcripts

The ICA has a long history of doing exhibitions about the most pressing

topics that are happening in the world and this follows right in line with that history.

At the root of this exhibition is a really profound belief in the role

that contemporary artists can play in addressing some of the most profound and

challenging issues of the day.

People have always moved for a variety of different reasons.

It's the story of who we are and how we got here.

It's the story of human civilization.

People have moved because they've been persecuted,

because of war. They've also moved for better financial horizons or better education.

The exhibition begins with a large scale

site-specific installation by the Mumbai artist Reena Kallat.

It traces the movement of people and goods throughout the world.

Woven Chronicles essentially is a wall drawing

made using the electric cable. I mean, I often think about these lines as

something that you know when drawn across territory has huge implications

for people on either side and here it's sort of morphs into barb wires and fences

holding inherent contradictions of being both a conduit carrier

and a barrier the same time.

Many of the artists in the exhibition are thinking about those

sites and places that come up in migration narratives.

Richard Mosse is looking at experiences along borders

and along major migration routes and in refugee camps.

Do Ho Suh is exploring the space of the home.

Isaac Julien, Kader Attia are thinking about the sea.

We worked with a variety of different artists, including several artists

who are activists like Tanya Bruguera and Michelle Ortiz,

whose work really is often part of the fabric of their own communities.

We commissioned the artist and activist Anthony Romero to undertake

a piece that he titled ...first and thought, then in action. This project began with a

series of community meetings and listening sessions in East Boston.

At the ICA, he is going to have both a sculptural cart as well as a series of

performances and events that bring together many of those community

partners and individual perspectives from East Boston.

My experience in regards to questions of immigration and

the free movement of people, borders, all of these things

which i think about a lot in my work, really comes from having

been born and raised in the Bordelands in South Central Texas.

From the very beginning, I knew that I wanted to create an object that was migratory in some way.

So I was thinking about street culture, immigrant kind of entrepreneurial spirit,

street vendors, these kinds of things.

The exhibition ends with a monumental

installation by the artist Yinka Shonibare. It's called The American Library

and it's an incredible installation that is comprised of 6,000

books all of those books are covered in a Dutch wax fabric and embossed on the

spines of those volumes are the names of individuals who have had an impact on

American culture, either first generation or second generation immigrants or

descendants of people who move North in the Great Migration.

This exhibition is not the end all be all.

This exhibition doesn't attempt to tell

a history of migration but rather is a signpost. It's a way in which we, through

the lens of art, can delve deeply into the topic of migration from a variety of

different perspectives, and it's a way in which we can with our audiences engage

in a really complex set of questions that face us today as a culture.