There are millions of boxes and suitcases into which migrants fleeing their countries of origin are forced to pack their entire lives, their histories, their wishes, their pain and hopes for a future. These objects are the focus of the exhibition "Entire Life in a Package" by Israeli artist Orna Ben-Ami. After going on display in New York, Geneva and Germany, the show now makes its way to Sicily's Valley of the Temples in Agrigento from January 29 - March 18.
The region is currently a landing point for many migrants who arrive in Italy. The Sicilian show is curated by Ermanno Tedeschi and was made possible in cooperation with the Valle dei Templi archaeological part and the Israeli Embassy in Italy."I was born in Israel, but my family came to Europe many years ago, so we were all migrants in some way," Ben-Ami told ANSAmed."After my parents' death, I found some boxes with documents and photos and I said to myself: an entire life in a box," she said.That's where the idea for the exhibition came from, because "that experience made me immediately think of the situation refugees face today. They have to put their entire life in a package, in a suitcase, and leave".
Art to recall the humanity of refugees
The project is made up of 30 works of metal sculptures of packages, suitcases and bags upon photos of migrants taken by Reuters photojournalists over the past 20 years, in a selection chosen from tens of thousands of images. "What I want to highlight is what people take with them, the packages that contain their past, their hopes, their identity," Ben-Ami said.She said with the project she is trying to show that refugees "aren't numbers but people". She said bringing the exhibition to Sicily is "very important, being that it's the current landing place of many migrants trying to reach Europe". Ben-Ami said "Entire Life in a Package" is her "small contribution to raise the world's awareness on this tragedy". "A refugee thanked me for my art, which he called 'a contribution to humanity'. It's an artistic way to tell their stories".
"Refugees should stay in Israel"
Ben-Ami said the Israeli Embassy is behind the Sicilian work."It's important to let the world know that the Israelis take care of thousands of migrants and civilians, even Syrians, because it doesn't matter where they come from, we take care of people," she said.
Regarding the Israeli government's recent measures to expel African migrants from the country, Ben-Ami said, "I'm for leaving these people who are already in Israel, so they can live and stay in the country; they are splendid people. We have to stop the fleeing from their countries, because it's a problem, but Israel must give work and a home to those who are already in the country," she said.