Untitled

enlarged digital prints on plywood, garbage and paint

From the first moment we walked through the village we became aware of the amount of garbage laying around along the roads and around the houses. These leftovers of commerce and consumption became a starting point for our research. We wondered why the inhabitants of the village, who referred to it as quiet and beautiful, threw garbage as such. Was it a lack of interest or a symbol of wealth?

We painted the garbage in natural colours, so it would blend into the landscape. With this method of camouflage we raised questions about the presence of garbage in the village. Our painting actions attracted a lot of attention and children from the village helped us out.

We collected garbage, items showing pictures of fruits, vegetables, flowers and animals; these symbols refer to wealth, luxury and prosperity to attract buyers. We cut out the natural symbols from these items and enlarged them. We placed them back all around the village.

Animation workshop

Elke Uitentuis and Waheeda Mallulah

An animation workshop was initiated by Waheeda and Elke for the children of Shatana. Ten children participated; the group made a short animation video of a boy and a monster.