Background and the Process: An Essay on the Work Presented
European Migrant Crisis
Today European Migrant Crisis refers to the mass arrival of refugees around 2015. This was mostly from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq made worse by continued hopeless conditions in refugee camps from failed states in other places such as Libya and relentless displacement of Yazidis by ISIS among many other accumulated factors of economic power structure and savagery in general brewing during many years prior to it in places like Congo and Somalia. What was captivating is boats, many times not even a boat but an inflatable rubber float packed with desperate yet daring individuals, stuffed to beyond over-capacity. Some sitting next to the engine spilling motor oil mixed with salt water on their faces for hours on their long journey with not an inch to spare or move. It created an emergency situation in the Mediterranean Sea, many ‘dingy vessels’ about to ‘cap-size’ were spotted near the tourist coasts of Italy and Greece for example. One could spot these boats out of fuel drifting, or about to collide with oil tankers, in general dire situation of flipping and sinking, in the middle of ocean, if they were ever spotted at all by drones or helicopters.
The Red Response
Besides these boats, there were also people arriving on foot to closed borders of Hungary and Poland in the middle of night. The news would be of rescuing refugees from sinking boats. But then what was Europe to do? What to do with them- was the topic of news during the summer and it continued years later with some countries stepping up for example Germany to accept these refugees in large numbers. Some also came to USA during the last two years of Obama Presidency, and some sent to Australia. Many states here, so called red-states resisted such resettlement of refugees, ‘they were not welcomed’, said the governors of many red states.
The Blue Response
It is also reported that in September of 2016 one-fifth of the migrants either drowned or disappeared in the Mediterranean Sea making similar journeys. Few months before over the summer in 2016 Brexit referendum wanted British not to have to deal with Europe’s problems- integrity of border being one of them. And few months later in November 2016, USA elected a new president to erect a border wall. The migrant images that have gained currency since then are of caravans from south of the border challenging the wall to keep them out. And in turn of events the progressives in blue-states countered the red-states by taking it to streets protesting with slogans that included among other causes, ‘refugees are welcome here’. Such slogans, if sincere, speak to human capacity to love- one another, even strangers despite the burden.
Blowback
This European Migrant Crisis is not to be confused with displacement of many Europeans out of Europe due to two World Wars. Most notably of 1930s and 1940s, a considerable forced expulsion and deportation of Europeans by Europeans occurred upon invasion of Poland, or annexation of Finland for example, and then boat-loads of European, especially well to do, of certain means, arrived in North Africa and other colonies, and people of no-means turned elsewhere to escape war at home. There are news accounts and images in newspapers of 1940s documenting such migration. Many also made their home in the Americas. History proves that fear of blowback in geo-politics (given national geography involves border skirmishes) is all too real on all sides when resentment grows into anger. Suppression transforms into oppression, invaders of past turn into nation-builders forcing displacement; and terrorists to some become freedom fighters to another. Often conflicts of today are unresolved resentment of yesterday which sow seeds of wars and grievances yet to be fought.
Photojournalism
Like many heartbreaking events, most of us witness them through news and learn about them from our typical media consumption. We see and many times remember these images from photojournalists of wars in faraway places or visual depiction of dire living condition of natural disaster, of famine, of brutality, of power struggle between factions to name a few. Documenting these conditions supplies much needed proof to people with better means to help, or compel their government and their institutions to notice and to aid. This is an important role a photojournalist plays in making these images available to most of us, who would otherwise never witness these themselves. Although it is widely discussed in some circles that the photojournalist role seeks relevancy since smartphones allow citizens to capture and distribute images themselves, one can see that on such a trip smartphones may not be the essentials one would have in the first place. So, the claim of crisis in photojournalism appears to be mere discussion ‘de jour’ similar to claims of death of paintings, novel, and jazz or above all poetry each trying to stay relevant. In the case of paintings, especially figurative and representational or story-telling medium, photography and abundance of images in modern life may be what prompts us to question the relevance of paintings. However re-invention of canvas as seen here with protruding different levels of planes and use of shiny blanket as surface continues the progression of art-form.
Conception
Besides the news value, and the immediate heartbreaking stories coming out of any refugee crisis, what was most interesting to me about these images in 2015 was how I felt captivated by images of the Mediterranean Sea and a lone boat with hundreds on board. Visually it was arresting, for once it could be mistaken as tourist or vacation photo until we notice the context. I froze and soaked it in. While the news played out over months and next two years of what Europe will do, I saw faces in these images that resonated with me, I saw them wrapped in emergency blanket and the shimmering and glittering effect of it visually transported me to value these images as unique of my time. These were not images of classical paintings of tempest or boats in storm but they were as poetic as Raft of Medusa for today. This was happening now – it was not history books. With timely presence of the photographer, it almost seemed that I know these faces- they could stand for any cosmopolitan city dwellers; these refugees belonged here as much as I did as an immigrant. Or if they don’t, will I too, not belong one day. The question of post-colonial hybrid identity grew firmer within me. The longer I stared at these, I felt I know these emotions of trading one identity for another where longing for acceptance is utmost gratifying. Could this become a vehicle for me to react? So I began to derive a visual style to prepare a set of paintings to process these and see where it would take me. I find that with any intimate creation of work of art we develop intimacy with subject, it is a healing process- as if we know them a little better, and in this case we return to the very moment the camera lens shutter closed; we dwell a little longer through creation and sharing of painting.
Consumption
This work as collection is titled, ‘Consumption of Refugee Images’- of 2015 arising out of European Migrant Crisis. Living here in Santa Monica to be exact, I saw them on-line being shared by others on social media, perhaps they were similarly moved by these images on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram etc. In fact, with its improved search engine for images on Google, one can do a specific search of refugees on the boat, and it returns with pages and pages, to browse or swipe. While browsing, I came across a set put together by BuzzFeed (which likes to feed us the news of the day by rating or rankings like ‘10 best places to eat pizza’, or ‘10 ways to look younger’, similarly there was a titled paraphrased), ‘10 best pictures of Syrian refugee’ for example. When BuzzFeed does a ‘clickbait’ story like that I knew it was end of my search, the consumption was validated. I had seen enough in fact I had a collection of bookmarks and favorites in my web-browser and I started formulating my project for paintings.
During this period, I attended a Doctors without Borders (Medicine Sans Frontier) exhibit, “What is forced home?” here in the parking lot next to Santa Monica Pier at the beach. It was quite eye-opening to see real people, the staff, interact with visitors and get a sense of real objects installed as exhibit artifacts from sample refugee camps. It was also clear that with any displacement comes health risks; regardless of how the conflict or crisis came about. Sometimes being healthy is just being safe- not being shot at or raped, or slashed or bombed or looted or being separated from family. And the displacement is not limited to war, it can be due to climate change – one can be uprooted from their home; or economic threats – having no means to make a living. Numbers are large, they are not abetting, not slowing, and unfortunately in many cases the temporary camps become permanent. The exhibition by Doctors without Borders allowed us to safely experience the concerns of a refugee.
When I see these images- of fleeing, floating in the sea, I notice that there is a decision to leave/ to flee, to escape. We think of effortless connection with motherland, with a place of birth, and being a patriot, taking up arms to defend- such notions are critical to our identity. And then it is all denied. A refugee has chosen to discard these and assume a new identity- it is seeking anew intersection in its identity. In fact, a refugee will adapt challenging us to accept the fluidity in identity; question the idea of a national boundary, and arrive at ‘new again’ notion of our right to mobility. This is what I see, a choice of fleeing, hoping to land ashore elsewhere in a foreign land, with or without permission to eventually re-invent that national identity. Who will they be? What will they be to us?
And The Process
As far as paintings are concerned, I limited myself to few images of boats and water and refugees jumping in or out, some drama, some melodrama, a story that would go well with style of representational paintings on canvas re-invented, specifically with canvas on canvas to bring about a separate plane from the whole and to recede and blend that plane back into the whole. I also see them as if I were browsing or swiping online images to zoom into one that is of interest. And there is also room to explore here, the role of paintings being dead given that representational beauty is replaced by post-skills art of concepts. This could be reflection of our time of abundant images at our fingertips in swipe-able gesture, paintings are bound to be derivative similar to what we say about writing a Novel or Jazz, both claimed to be dead also by critics but practiced and reinvented (or perhaps just derived) by many. The meditative nature of brush strokes makes me take up painting in the first place, and in the end, by layers of lines and shadows between light and dark (the ones da Vinci observed long ago and still delivers) creates a magical moment when the blank space of canvas turns into a space filled with story. It’s a process I witness in the studio. Additionally, when people enter as subjects on the canvas the space becomes intimate between two strangers. There is an exception in the series, the last item is an installation, in fact as a nod to painting yielding to a concept. There is much to explore with paintings as art form and to continue telling a story besides ideas.
Once I ‘bookmarked’ several images I knew I could start my project, I contacted the photojournalist via email or Instagram account asking for permission to use their identified images, to do this derivative work. To make contact in such a way would only be possible with today’s technology. I was looking to leverage my newfound fascination with layered canvas, to define space, therefore to showcase and to emphasize parts from the whole. And accordingly I took creative license in dramatizing the subject or the background, to composite different images. I gravitated towards images that gave me something new to develop and practice my painting skills in each of the pieces since I am not a ‘frequent artist’, the opportunity to practice is limited therefore for me to have a satisfying experience I wanted each piece to challenge me with a new problem (both with story content and with level of canvas planes) for me to solve. The end result is not a re-production; it has molded the evidentiary photo into a painting hoping to lend some permanence to the moment that was already captured by the lens. Question was, will my effort elevate the photo documentation or will this become window dressing for the West. I found I wasn’t the only one asking this, an artist with refugee background, Hiwa K. (K for Kurds) in Berlin is asking a similar question in 2018. Upon further reflection, there is an upside, however, in knowing that I had on occasions heard the protesters around me, post 2016 election in Los Angeles, marching and shouting, ‘refugees are welcome here’, in unison hundreds shouting through Wilshire Blvd. from MacArthur Park to downtown; I hope to affirm such sentiments of belonging and acceptance with this series of work.
After requesting their permission, only some of the photojournalists I had contacted replied, enough did affirmatively for me to proceed. In fact, some replied overnight, and I found it fascinating to message instantly- to see something for example on Instagram, a natural place for these photographers to post and for them to be contacted by stranger expressing admiration for the photos. They took a chance, some reminded me to put the effort to good use, (the fear would be to steal and make a really bad ‘meme’ on these which is all too easy online). Or they felt they couldn’t refuse the request by an immigrant who just wanted to paint on a subject that was so close to all the parties involved, the photographer, the subject, the painter. I overall, strongly felt that the project as a set would be a worthwhile tribute especially the format of larger canvas would give it greater permanence and immersive presence, given that the process of creating a painting is meditative and accumulative; not to mention, the experience of viewing a painting further lengthens and broadens that moment. That is most likely the motivation for granting permission in the first place.
In art there is value in skills over concepts and output over discussions though ultimately the experience of viewer is what counts, and in creating these works I wish to brings us to an accessible place to reflect on the experience of leaving a place behind and starting anew.
This is the result of Consumption of Refugee Images. Thank you for your consideration.
All rights reserved under Copyright by Gautam Misra
