Visualising the invisible? Images of migrants and refugees in the new Europe
Date
2005
Authors
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
ISSN
DOI
Volume Title
Publisher
Paul Holberton Publishing, London and the Centre for Advanced Scholarship in Art and Design, Southampton Solent University
Type
Book chapter
Peer reviewed
Abstract
Description
This essay, based on interdisciplinary research, looks at representations of migration and displacement, identifying problems and issues concerned with the apparent paradox of representing what, in many cases, is unrepresentable (e.g. the traumatic experiences of many migrants, the need to remain invisible or to “disappear” from official tracking mechanisms and surveillance). The research for this essay was carried out through interviews with artists, visits to exhibitions (including Documenta 11 in Kassel), and participation in international conferences in London and Cardiff. A paper based on some of this research was given at the international conference 'Fortress Europe and its “Others”: Cultural Representations in Film, Media and the Arts', 4-6 April 2005 at the Institute of Germanic and Romance Studies, School of Advanced Study, University of London. I also gave a lecture on this research material at the University of Gloucester, 2006, and will speak on this topic at the University of Stirling and at a forthcoming symposium in Paris. A related and updated paper on this topic was accepted for the conference 'Representing Diasporas in Cinema and New Digital Media' conference in Exeter, July 2007.
Linked to this research was an international conference held at De Montfort University (Phoenix Arts Centre) co-organised with Lala Meredith-Vula, where I gave the introductory keynote speech, especially written for this event. Delegates from a range of countries and professions (both academic and non-academic) were present, and speakers included artists, curators and academics from Albania and New Zealand. This one-day interdisciplinary conference, 'Here, There and Elsewhere? An international Conference exploring visual representations of displacement, migration, location and identity', was addressed by Gen Doy, Keith Piper, Adrian Paci, Edi Muka, Lala Meredith-Vula, and Mary Richards.
Keywords
RAE 2008, UoA 63 Art and Design
Citation
DOY, M. G (2005) Visualising the Invisible? Images of Migrants and Refugees in the new Europe. In:COULTER-SMITH, G. et al, eds. Art in the Age of Terrorism. London: Paul Holberton Publishing, pp. 60-79.