VVest Life in Strasbourg: 06th of May to 30th of June 2017
a few meters away from the European Court of Human Rights
and the European Parliament in Strasbourg at 23 Rue Boecklin, 67000 Strasbourg
You can use the VVest Life Sculpture for your discourse on our futures, for free.
The artist collective KUNSTrePUBLIK aspires to create a space for dialogue on the current European Unions crisis by installing a ‚parliament‘ built from the most prominent object and symbol of migration over water: the life vest.
This parliament - referencing to the shape of stars found in the EU flag - is a movable platform open for citizens, refugees, politicians, activists and all those willing to comment constructively on the current situation in Europe.
A six channel sound installation is playing direct reactions on debates from inside of European Union members Parliaments in the last year.
This is the second version of VVestlife, it is shown within the exhibition Philoxenie at Apollonia in Strasbourg.
It was first developed for the Sonsbeek Festival in 2016.
Learn more about the first VVest Life in Sonsbeek/Arnheim in 2016 by scrolling down.
ABOUT VVEST LIFE IN SONSBEEK
For Sonsbeek 2016 KUNSTrePUBLIK aspired to create a juxtaposition of the idyllic beauty of the Sonsbeek park and the human crisis at the southern borders of Europe (2015/16) by installing a ‚parliament‘ built from the most prominent object and symbol of migration over water: the life vest.
This parliament - referencing to the shape of stars found in the EU flag - is a movable platform open for citizens, refugees, politicians, activists and all those willing to comment constructively on the current situation in Europe.
Parallel to Europe’s celebration of the football championships, we wanted to celebrate new ideas for our Western society and asked audiences to state a claim! It has to be short enough, so those football fans, that cannot cheer for the Elftal this year, can bawl it out on your behalf. Our ‘parliament’ became a ‘bawliament’ and allowed to question the current personal and political situation: Is Europe in a crisis of values? How can we practise solidarity? Who can participate? How can we approach inclusion, integration and mutual learning? We transformed the best claims to a proper stadium symphony to be heard in the ‚Bawliament of VVest life‘ in Sonsbeek Park.
In 2015 the dutch national soccer team did not qualify for the Eurocup 2016 in Paris, thousands of fans can not bawl for their national team.
In 2015 over one million people have landed on Europe’s shores, fleeing war and persecution.
Many people are still fleeing the wars, some who have entered are not allowed to stay others are waiting on the borders of the European Union.
VVest life is questioning the moment of inclusion and exclusion and wants to serve as a space for celebration of diversity and trigger a debate on EU Identity and spatial politics.
VVest life is an artwork by KUNSTrePUBLIK (Matthias Einhoff, Philip Horst, Harry Sachs) invited by runagrupa
Produced for Sonsbeek 2016
We thank all the people who have helped making this piece possible!
Berlin Team
Thanks to the whole ZK/U team!
Tent production:
Daniela Maria Hirsch
Daniela Lehmann Carrasco
René Kuschmann
Magnus Werner
Franziska Bauer
Susanne Schröder
Melanie Garland
David Fiebig
Bassam
Chair production:
Manuel Grosskopf
Sifis Lykakis
Michael Schuster
Architects:
Thomas Göldner
Nicole Zahner
Lyrics und Choir:
Vredeber Albrecht
Nils Heemskerk
Vincent Heemskerk
Dörte Fischer
Lena Knäpper
Kathrin Niemann
Sanne Oorthuizen
Gerard Schoren & the Volver Choir
Arnhem Team
Thanks to the whole Sonsbeek team!
Production at site:
Alexander Godschalk
Ewoud Groenendijk
Martin ter Schure
Marko Meijer
Bart Nijboer
Bart Verburg
Bram van Leeuwenstein
David Keus
Rene van Oudenhoven
Rob Kaptein
Matthias Peuser and the catering team for the good food!
