“Among the beautiful veteran ships and resplendent yachts in the harbour a peculiar vessel suddenly appears: A boat crammed with refugees. In one of the masts is hanging a 3 meters face of bronze. A banner hung up between the masts displays the number 2015. The ship moors alongside the quay, and the refugee sculptures are spreading in the harbour in the streets of the town and in the shops. An art happening has been launched, an attack by sea on the town with the aim of highlighting our moral obligation towards our fellow humans in the south, who have been born into unfathomable poverty.”
Danish sculptor Jens Galschiot in cooperation with Living Sea, and PATC (The Project Advice and Training Centre) consisting of 250 development NGO’s have transformed the Living Sea’s cutter M/S Anton into a floating art installation with more than 70 bronze sculptures.
When coastal areas around the world are depopulated and impoverished, it is often due to tremendous pressure from capital heavy international industrial. The refugee boat is a work of art and a political manifestation that brings the feel of the world’s refugee problems all the way into the city port to create reflection and debate.
The art installation aims to put attention on the issue of why people flee. The refugees speak about the problem they have to find a place to stay and live their lives – and the problems which have driven them from their homes. One of the causes and issues raised in the installation emerges from the problems associated with the European fishing fleets, which empty the waters of fish off the cost of developing countries. As a consequence, people on land are forced to find food elsewhere and too often find no other option than to escape their country – becoming a refugee travelling the seas on a boat.
M/S Anton is moored at berth 17 on Strandvägen in Stockholm, Sweden, as a visiting art installation during the 2012 Stockholm Cultural Festival which takes place around the city between the 12th – 19th of August.