REFOODEES
Napoli 2019
What do recipes created by travelers from 19th century Procida, contemporary Guinea-Conakry and Poland in the 90's have in common?
For REFOODEES I collected recipes from people who migrated into or out of Western Europe. These recipes are characterized by their simplicity and use of cheap ingredients, directly translating the hardship of migration onto the plate and showing how this condition reflects in every aspect of life. During the performance these dishes are sold to the public, which can choose to from a menu including the stories of the people who contributed to the project. I strongly encourage discussion about migration among the "customers" while serving the food, and collect new stories and recipes.
Background:
In Germany more than 169 people with migration background have been killed by rightwing criminals since 1990. Some institutions like the Amadeu-Antonio-Stiftung think the number might be twice as high. In the same period neofascist terrorist have committed frequent arson attacks on refugee centers. The image used depicts an empty house in Weissach im Tal that had been destined for housing refugees in the near future and was set on fire before that. It dates from 2015, a clear message that right wing terrorism is alive and well.
#Refoodees is an interactive installation that deals with the life conditions of people who migrated to Western Europe in the 90's and later, and injustices that are unsolved up until today.
Big kudos to Marina Mosca from #centrodialimentazioneconsapevole for her expertise on migrant recipes made during the Mediterranean crossing from Procida island to Algeria, to Vane @dg_vane_officiel who agreed to share a 'recipe' created from need during his trip from Guinea-Conakry to Italy, to Marina Nardone for her help and support, and to my mother for her own survival recipes created during emigration from Poland to Germany.