Antartic Village - No borders, ephemeral installation in Antartica

Lucy + Jorge Orta, 2007

Material:Series of 50 original dome dwellings, hand stitched with nation flags, fragments of clothing, webbing, silkscreen print

Exhibition history: 2007 Antarctica; 2007 Biennial al Fin del Mundo

Concept:

From February to March 2007, Lucy + Jorge Orta created the ephemeral artwork ‘Antarctic Village - No Borders’. The in-situ installation, which took place during the Austral summer, coincided with the last of the scientific expeditions before the winter months and the ice mass becomes too thick to traverse.

Antarctic Village is a symbol of the plight of those struggling to transverse borders and to gain the freedom of movement necessary to escape political and social conflict. Dotted along the ice, the domes formed a settlement reminiscent of the images of refugee camps we see so often reported about on our television screens and newspapers.

Antarctic Village is emblematic of Ortas’ body of work, composed of what could be termed modular architecture and reflecting qualities of nomadic shelters and campsites. The dwellings themselves are hand stitched together by a traditional tent maker with sections of flags from countries around the world, along with extensions of clothes and gloves, symbolising the multiplicity and diversity of people.