Installation/mixed media
This is the first piece of work executed within the artist group “Cruiser Crew”, based primarily in Nottingham, UK. The first exhibition exclusively featuring the group was 'Memory & Migration', held at Old Knows Factory studios in Nottingham. The concept was to investigate the relationship between memories of the past mixed with the idea of moving forward/migrating. I decided to revisit & re-appropriate an older project executed in 2004 which was a limited-edition CD release entitled "Nothing Is Ever As It Used To Be", an experimental audio release meant to reflect/invoke the sound of waste/trash in refugee camps. For each copy of the CD I meticulously hand-collaged, painted & constructed packaging as well as cut-out paper tents which people could construct and send pictures of to me. I used the paper tent idea extensively for performances during 2005 as well as interventional photography studies. The die cut collages from the original project make up a part of the entire installational assemblage featuring primarily fabric, abstractly conjuring up a vision of a hyper-real refugee camp in a state of meticulous disarray. I am still fascinated by migration/immigration both by choice and by necessity combined with the ideas of what is a necessity as far as personal belongings or refuse left by human imprint.
Featured here are photos I took during a test staging of the installation with various details of the installation highlighted. The final photo is by fellow Cruiser Gareth Jordan of the installation of the work in Nottingham which was lovingly constructed there by him and various helpers according to my instructions. I also included the video ‘Chicken: Business Lady / Huhn: Geschäftsfrau / Csirke: Üzletasszony’ as it also deals with both memory & migration directly.
