This exhibition invites you to become or recognise yourself as a ‘commoner’. Featuring UK and international artists, the projects exhibited in this exhibition represent ideas and resources to inspire acts of commoning.
Breaking Borders is Jacky’s contribution to the ‘We are commoners’ exhibition project gives insight into commoning that takes place through local community food production and skills sharing. ‘Bees and Refugees’, the collective enterprise in London featured in this work, supports people through difficult times whilst improving community cohesion and benefiting biodiversity. Founded by Ali Alzein, the charity protects honeybees as well as helping refugees who may be struggling to adjust to their new lives.
Having fled his home in Syria, Ali speaks of the importance of ‘freedom of movement’ and ‘breaking borders’ for refugees. Jacky has purposely avoided giving the sculptural forms a border, displacing the organised structure of a beehive’s honeycomb. The landmass shapes of Syria, the Middle East and Africa, volunteer refugees’ countries, have been changed.
Enamelled panels feature Ali’sand his grandpa’s handwriting with information about bees. In an expansion of the project, and in the spirit of commoning, the project began withlocal people or places in the community hosting a beehive in exchange for honey.
Breaking Borders celebrates the work of ‘Bees and Refugees’ a charity supporting aiming to protect honeybees as well as helping refugees who may be struggling to adjust to their new lives.
Founded by Ali Alzein who fled his home in Syria, Ali speaks of the importance of ‘freedom of movement’ and ‘breaking borders’ for refugees. Jacky has purposely avoided giving the sculptural forms a border, displacing the organised structure of a beehive’s honeycomb.
