The exhibition, The Warmth of Other Suns, Stories of Global Displacement at The Phipps Center in Washington, DC, has been on my radar all summer. As I begin to create the work for my Migration Project, I knew that experiencing how 75 historical and contemporary artists —from the United States as well as Algeria, Bangladesh, Belgium, Brazil, Egypt, Ghana, Iraq, Lebanon, Mexico, Morocco, Syria, Turkey, UK, Vietnam, and more— responded to themes of migration and the current global refugee crisis would be vital to shaping how I approach my work in the studio.
Through installations, videos, paintings, and documentary images, The Warmth of Other Suns explores both real and imaginary geographies, reconstructing personal and collective tales of migration. Overlaying historical experiences of migration to and within the United States with the current plight of refugees around the world, the exhibition brings together a multitude of voices and exposes the universality of migration as an experience shared by many. The exhibition also focuses on how artists bear witness to both historical events and more subtle shifts in cultural landscapes. - The Phillips Collection in partnership with the New Museum in New York.
The exhibition exceeded my expectations, brought me to tears on each floor, and reminded me how important the work that I have committed to do is.
The last work we viewed has special significance for both me and my best friend, Taunja Peques. Francis Alÿs "Don't Cross the Bridge Before You Get to the River " (Strait of Gibraltar, Morocco-Spain), 2008, it brought back memories of Morocco, the country we both recently visited and dearly love.
I hope the exhibition travels to a city near you. It is worth your time and attention!