Humans in Transit | Stories of refugees in Libya & on the Me­di­ter­ra­ne­an Sea

The exhibition “Humans in Transit” is a mosaic of stories told by refugees, about refugees. It creates a space for the stories and voices of 400 people whose lives have been forever shaped by their journey along the Mediterranean route. The installation brings together a wide range of personal accounts from refugees in Libya and along the central Mediterranean – accounts that have been shared with Médecins Sans Frontières / Doctors Without Borders over the past ten years. Each story is given a face through an artistic portrait created by four artists. Through their images, the artists contrast the anonymous statistics with the personal experiences of individuals who – in their search for safety – have suffered physical abuse, abduction, and sexual violence. They pay tribute to the resilience of people fleeing their homes and the inviolability of human dignity. Each portrait represents a real person who deserves safety and compassion. All the artists, filmmakers, and actors involved in the project have their own stories of exile or migration. The exhibition thus represents a collective act of storytelling – and a reclaiming of control over how and by whom stories of exile are told and preserved.

Content note: This exhibition explores experiences relating to exile and displacement. Some of the content may be emotionally distressing. Please look after your personal mental wellbeing.