Following an interest in the many motivations for travel, I created a kit that explores the meaning of diaspora. The project began with an investigation into the Swan Antarctic Collection at the John Hay Library at Brown University. After seeing Frank Hurley's haunting stills of the Shackleton Expedition to Antarctica, I wanted to understand what factors would influence people to travel under such desolate conditions, without guarantee of returning home.
The kit I created is composed of several elements contained in an envelope suitable for distribution. A set of displacement postcards documents the urgency of the refugee's situation. Images of displaced persons on the front are offset by text concerning the politics and ethics of displacement on the back. Refugees are by nature ‘placeless,’ and the distribution and dispersion of these cards educates recipients about the refugee's plight. A fold-out map of the world situates the state of the world’s refugees and internally displaced persons based on data obtained from the UN High Commisioner for Refugees (UNHCR). Radiating circles express the scale and nature of the world’s displaced populations. Finally, a set of seed packets conveys information about the most watched refugee populations in the world. Each packet includes historical background on the situation in each country while also offering statistical information and suggestions on ways to help. The quantity of seeds contained in each packet is proportional to the number of displaced persons originating from that country and act as a symbol of renewal and hope. The combination of these elements addresses the current situation in the world while advocating assistance and aid in the resettlement of the displaced.
Download a PDF of my process here.
