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 Hackett (UK)

'Birds Don’t Recognise Boundaries'

(Photography, 44cm x 34cm)

A grid of photographic images of a cast sculptural bird placed in contexts that signify territory. For example, fences, walls, a military pill box, on double yellow lines, as well as ‘free’ situations, like in a tree or on a beach. Accepting many creatures are territorial to some extent, none have gone to the peculiar extent of marking lines on map to enforce limits on freedom of movement. This is arguably why the ‘human’ world is so fucked up. And also why nature, in it’s wider sense, will outlast humanity. I think artists are similar in their societal status to pigeons. Sometimes celebrated, but often seen as a bit of a nuisance. Art is also increasingly discouraged in terms of formal education in favour of ‘proper’ subjects. Like pigeons we tend to potter on regardless, holding a healthy contempt for political, national, social and hierarchical boundaries. Seeing the world more as an open playground to explore and interrupt.

Website

Instagram