Arrival

Arrival, 2023

Intervention

Diren Demir

https://www.instagram.com/p/Cwa0ZWeIWQ4/

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“Arrival” is a space intervention and performance that reminds colonial history and the right of “arrival” of immigrants. The intervention sheds light on the realities faced by immigrant families who have to risk their lives while attempting to escape from war-torn regions and challenging conditions of overseas voyages on a boats.

After long escapes at sea, some make it to land, others do not make it all the way to land. The invisible footprints represent the journeys of countless refugees and the invisibilities of their stories and existences. These footprints were created using hydrochromic ink, a material that remains hidden when dry but becomes visible when touched by water. By this invisible and visible visual dynamics of the space intervention, “otherness” that is generated by the society and the fact that harbours and seas are political spaces is highlighted.

During the performance, Diren carries a pot of water taken from the port, spilling it out to the floor to make the footprints visible. Spectators are invited to explore and engage with the installation, symbolically retracing the steps of immigrants and empathizing with their experiences. By acknowledging the struggles and resilience of immigrants, “Arrival” invites the audience to defend the universal right of arrival.