NO ONE IS ILLEGAL @ SMAK Gent
DUINKERKE art works
Since March 2020, when the first world wide lockdown appeared, Driessens & van den Baar have developed the collection of small wool felt art works, called “Duinkerke”. They sell them for €350,- each, from which € 175,- goes to Saar Depuydt who helps refugees in the forests around Duinkerke to survive there, before they try to reach Great-Brittain by boat. The horrible situation, the direct result of no European regulation and of French inhuman policy became worse during Covid lockdowns and is still going on with around 400 people on the run daily. And still some of them die during the attempt to reach Great-Brittain.
NO ONE IS ILLEGAL, the installation
In 2021 Driessens & van den Baar have presented the installation “No One Is Illegal” at OBJECT Rotterdam during Art Week Rotterdam, in which a live size wool felt family tent with household items between large wool felt trees was installed. The audience was seduced by the beautifully made installation to enter the scene and to experience this “camping site”. But around this they were confronted with the Duinkerke art works and the story of the refugees.
Because of this presentation the artists have been able to sell a lot of works and to support Saar Depuydt in a more fundamental way with helping the refugees.
No One Is Illegal in SMAK Ghent
From June 9 – July 3 2022 “No One Is Illegal” will be presented in SMAK Gent. This project has started with a workshop in the installation where seven days ten people will work together with the artists to make 70 new Duinkerke art works, to be sold in SMAK during the show. People from Gent have been asked to come and help in the temporary studio in the museum and in this way to become actively involved in the major European issue surrounding refugees. The show No One Is Illegal in the museum has been officially opened by Saar Depuydt, Ilona Terkessedis (Luca School of Arts Ghent)
and Ivo van den Baar of WANDSCHAPPEN. They have explained the history and necessity of the project in SMAK Ghent. At that occasion the selling of the Duinkerke art works in the museum has started.
For more information about the art works send a mail to ivo@wandschappen.nl or see: https://www.wandschappen.nl/project/duinkerke/