Curated by Diana Ali at Art Center Caravel, ARTE.M Association, Funchal, Madeira, Portugal 2024 & Arthall, Victoria, Gozo, Malta 2025

Concept:

We are facing many barriers globally where our identities are being bruised, rejected, and turned away. This leaves a tension for bodies, thoughts, and circumstances to be accepted and co-exist. Artists have been invited to contest and question what it means to face barriers. Often our artworks have been declined from being shown and exhibited. This exhibition gives an opportunity for the art to migrate. There may not be a utopia, but there are ways of overcoming barriers. Imagine the artwork being personified. What would it say if it had freedom of movement, no immigration law, finding asylum and a sense of belonging without being displaced? A fantastic array of international artists come together in one space to question, confront and seek sanctuary through their artwork.

Exhibition information/Flyer:

Exhibition information/Flyer:

UPDATE 2025

In 2024, a majority of the work was detained by the Portuguese customs on the way to be exhibited in Madeira. The artwork did not have a freedom to roam. In 2025, the art hopes to confront crossings and overcome barriers by having the opportunity to be exhibited at Arthall, Malta.

Tom Shennan (UK)


'False Positive', Still #1

'False Positive', Still #2

(Digital print of stills, 21 x 29.7cm)




These stills came about as part of my moving image project exploring neurodivergence and alienation, entitled ‘False Positive’; a piece of video art and associated digital materials. It portrays my experience as a disabled person with heightened sensory sensitivity, and the restrictions this places on one’s ability to navigate and interact with the world – a perspective that I thought would resonate with the themes of freedom/barriers that are central to ‘Hide me, Steal me, Be Nice to me’.


False Positive was funded as part of my Developing Your Creative Practice grant from Arts Council England.


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