African inspiration
‘I had to get out of the country without permission, which means I have to cross my fingers when I get to the airport that nothing happens to me. And … Continue reading
Bread and Salt: First words
My old friend Dave and I are doing the final proofs of the English version of Bread and Salt: it will go to print on Monday, for publication on 21 … Continue reading
Since dirty began
The laws of immigration Those with money have been thieves; those without will be. Those who are kept apart shall be reprimanded for exclusiveness. Those who assimilate shall … Continue reading
Languages and realities
‘I’m used to thinking that stories in English are so much richer or more important than stories I hear in my own language.’ Henning Mankell, The Troubled Man Oppression, subjugation, … Continue reading
Interpretations
‘You cannot understand the migrant if you haven’t heard his story first.’ Gazmend Kapllani In the course of working on Bread and Salt, I have met 18 artists who have … Continue reading
Making sense II
One way in which we make sense of our experience is by finding patterns in it—connections, coincidences, repetitions. Whether the pattern exists in any objective sense doesn’t matter very much: … Continue reading
Making sense
I got an email from a Dutch friend, partly in response to my post about waiting for feedback. Margreet wrote about Winter Fires and how reading it had made her … Continue reading
Fingers crossed
Yesterday I sent the draft text of Bread and Salt to the artists whose experiences of coming to Europe form its living heart. It’s always a scary moment. My meetings … Continue reading
Intercultural dialogue as a framing device for democracy
In 2009 and 2010, I worked with the Platform for Intercultural Europe on a series of meetings, exchanges and conversations around the concept of intercultural dialogue. This work built on … Continue reading
A conversation about drawing
Each project in the ‘Regular Marvels’ series is a collaboration between me and an artist whose work I value. Although the conception, planning and delivery of the work are mine, … Continue reading
