1.12.2013 /
BAK, basis voor actuele kunst. Lange Nieuwstraat 4, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Conversation
Established by Jonas Staal in collaboration with BAK, basis voor actuele kunst, Utrecht
Design: Remco van Bladel
New World Academy
Session II: Collective Struggle of Refugees: Lost. In Between. Together.
This session is taught by Yoonis Osman and Thomas, members of We Are Here, an organization of refugees who unite in order to bring their collective struggle in the Netherlands into public discussion. Consisting of some 200 immigrants from approximately 15 countries all around the world, their search for asylum has failed, and yet for a variety of reasons they cannot be sent back to their countries of origin. This session studies in detail a proposition developed by the We Are Here Cooperative, where members are brought together with artists and cultural workers into an active project of cohabitation and cooperation. Drawing and learning from the experiences of projects such as The Silent University (ÖÄŸüt), X et Y c. Préfet de. . . Plaidoirie pour une jurisprudence (Bernier & Martin), and Immigrant Movement International (Bruguera), the participants deliberate on an alternative model for cohabitation between the refugees and artists as a proposal for an instance of “co-citizenship.”
Teachers:
. Yoonis Osman Nuur
. Thomas (activists and members of We Are Here, Amsterdam)
Coordinators:
. Patrick Bernier and Olive Martin (artists, Nantes)
. Emily Fahlén (curator, representative of Ahmet Ögüt ‘s s Silent University)
. Savannah Koolen (coordinator, We Are Here Action Center, Amsterdam)
. Elke Uitentuis (artist, We Are Here Action Center, Amsterdam)
Artworks:
. Patrick Bernier and Olive Martin
. Immigrant Movement International (Tania Bruguera)
. Gerjanne van Gink, Hans van Houwelingen, Manette van Ingenegeren, Silent University (Ahmet Ögüt)
. Wouter Osterholt, Elke van Uitentuis, We Are Here Band