Arkadi Zaides' Necropolis Maps Migrant Deaths in Atlas of Transitions Biennale
The 2020 Atlas of Transitions Biennale, under the theme 'WE THE PEOPLE' and curated by Piersandra Di Matteo in collaboration with Mediterranea Saving Humans, showcased an online initiative called Necropolis, created by Belarusian choreographer Arkadi Zaides. This project confronts the tragic issue of migrant fatalities while trying to reach Europe, utilizing data from UNITED for Intercultural Action, which documents over 40,555 deaths from 1993 to 2020. Zaides employs archives and databases to pinpoint and record these locations through smartphones. Narration by Igor Dobricic accompanies an archive of names, dates, and causes, while users add videos of funeral processions, forming a collective memory map. The second segment includes Zaides' ritualistic choreography featuring decomposed body parts, representing mourning and 'posthumous citizenship,' building upon his 2014 piece, Archive.
Key facts
- Necropolis was transmitted online during the 2020 Atlas of Transitions Biennale
- The biennale was titled 'WE THE PEOPLE' and curated by Piersandra Di Matteo
- It was produced by ERT in collaboration with Mediterranea Saving Humans
- Arkadi Zaides is a Belarusian choreographer
- The project is based on the list from UNITED for Intercultural Action
- The list records 40,555 migrants who died between 1993 and 2020
- Igor Dobricic provides the narrative voice
- The project uses Google Earth and smartphone documentation
- Zaides previously created Archive in 2014 using B'Tselem footage
- The work involves handling decomposed body parts as choreography
Entities
Artists
- Arkadi Zaides
- Piersandra Di Matteo
- Igor Dobricic
- Jean-Luc Nancy
- Daniele Vergni
Institutions
- Atlas of Transitions Biennale
- ERT
- Mediterranea Saving Humans
- UNITED for Intercultural Action
- B'Tselem
- Sapienza Università di Roma
- Artribune
Locations
- Europe
- Sicily
- Italy
- West Bank
- Cisgiordania
- Napoli
- Belarus