Castling

The project focuses on exploration of the notion of home for an immigrant, or for someone who simply feels like they don't belong

The topic of home has always been present in my work, whether it is photographs of my family, objects that bring nostalgia or spaces that feel extremely familiar. I have always questioned the notion of home being an immigrant and whether a physical place like this can ever exist for me and others who abandoned their birthplaces in search for a better future. I do not feel like I belong back there, nor here. It is this grey area we exist in facing constant disconnections and misunderstandings. However, I believe that through our unique experience we accumulate habits and coping mechanisms that help us survive a constant misalignment with our environment. I believe that exactly this cluster of behaviours and experiences we call ‘home’. We bear it on our backs everywhere we go like ancient nomads. The fortress we build for ourselves in our heads where we hide in comfort of memories and nostalgia when storms and afflictions come around. We gather our strengths there and remind ourselves of who we are. Just like in a game of chess, when we feel like our king is in a vulnerable position - we castle.