Artists Use Morse Code to Reach Migrants Blocked on Italian Coast Guard Ship

In Catania, artists Maria Domenica Rapicavoli, Luca Prete, and curator Katiuscia Pompili staged a spontaneous protest action called Morse Action at the port, where the Italian Coast Guard ship Diciotti has been blocked since August 20 with dozens of migrants on board. The Italian government, led by Interior Minister Matteo Salvini, refuses to let the migrants disembark, demanding other EU states handle asylum requests. On August 22, 27 unaccompanied minors were allowed off, reportedly suffering from malnutrition and dehydration. Around 150 people remain on the ship, which lacks adequate medical and psychological care, and have begun a collective hunger strike. The artists, joined by local citizens and activists, used a smartphone app to translate messages into Morse code light signals, amplified by a frame built by Rapicavoli, to communicate with the migrants. The action aimed to show solidarity and support, despite uncertainty whether the messages could be decoded. Pompili plans to incorporate Morse Action into her ongoing project Bordi/Borders/Bords in Turin.