migrantas | a visual language of migration

Working with public urban spaces as its platform, migrantas aims to make visible the thoughts and feelings of those who have left their own country and now live in a new one.
Mobility, migration and transculturality are not the exception in our world, but are instead becoming the rule. Nevertheless, migrant women and their experiences remain often invisible to the majority of our society.
Migrantas works with issues of migration, identity and intercultural dialogue. Their work incorporates tools from the visual arts, graphic design and social sciences.
Members of the collective, mostly women who have themselves immigrated to Germany, develop the projects with other migrant women in a horizontal dialogue.

Workshops | Visual expression of one’s own story
Migrantas meets with migrant women in their own collective spaces - organisations, community centres, cultural groups - and organizes workshops to reflect together on issues of migration. Women from very different national, cultural and social backgrounds, also with different residency statuses, exchange their experiences and express these in simple drawings.

Process |From drawing to pictogram
After a careful analysis of all the drawings from different workshops, migrantas culls key elements and common themes from the drawings and translates these central motifs visually and artistically into pictograms - a visual language and a language accessible to everyone.

Pictograms | Simplicity and strength of expression
Pictograms are the visual language of migrantas. Their simple, universally understandable images stir emotions: people from different backgrounds recognize themselves in the representations, while others gain new insights or modify their own perspectives.

Result | Recognition and visibility
All migrantas projects end with an exhibition. The participants now see their drawings presented in public and experience public recognition of their voices and social participation. Visitors to the exhibition receive an opportunity to become better acquainted with the experiences of migrant women.

Urban actions | Being a part of the city landscape
One of migrantas’ major goals is to make the pictograms visible in public urban spaces. They appear as posters where there is normally advertising, as projected digital animations on public screens, as flyers or postcards or shopping bags. Migrant womens’ perspectives and lived realities are taken out of the individual private space and made visible in the public space, thus creating an encounter which triggers reactions and self-reflection in the passerby

2008 | Bundesmigrantinnen | Cologne

2006 | Bilder bewegen II | Berlin

Projects | For more information, please click on the titles.

2009 | Postkarten-Sommer-Aktion - Exhibition at the Alte Post in Neukölln | Berlin
In der Ausstellung zeigt migrantas eine Auswahl an Piktogrammen auf Postkarten und Plakaten sowie Fotos seiner Projekte und urbanen Aktionen am Bildschirm. Während der Ausstellung werden kostenlose Postkarten verteilt.

2008 | Bundesmigrantinnen- Images of Migrantion in Cologne´s Urban Space.
Leuchtturmprojekt der Interkulturellen Woche Köln 2008 in Zusammenarbeit mit der Bühne der Kulturen, gefördert u.a. von der Stadt Köln und unter Schirmherrschaft von Bürgermeisterin Angela Spizig: Workshops mit Migrantinnen, urbane Aktion mit Piktogrammen auf Plakaten und Postkarten sowie Ausstellung im studio dumont

2007 | Bundesmigrantinnen - Images of Migrantion in Hamburg´s Urban Space.
The project "Bundesmigrantinnen" aims to make the reflections and emotions of women migrants visible in Hamburg´s urban space. For that sake, their drawings about the migrant condition will be developed into pictograms and installed in the public space of Hamburg. The urban action will take place with posters at subway stations and other advertising spots.
These posters and the drawings upon which they are based will be shown at a public exhibition. During the whole action, the subject of migration in Hamburg will become visible in this city in an inovative, visually attractive way.

2006 | Interkulturelle Werkstatt - Networks with Migrant and Artist Women | Berlin.
Networking with migrants’ organizations. Realisation of 8 workshops. Campagne of distribution of 29.000 free postcards in 450 gastronomic venues of Berlin. Production of 300 shopping bags. Participation in the exhibition “City of women” (Kommunale Galerie, Nov-Dec 2006). Financed by the City of Berlin and the European Social Fund (EFS).

2006 | Bilder bewegen I - Setting Interculturality and Migration in Motion | Berlin
Realisation of 5 workshops. Campaign with digital animations at the TV of all the Berliner underground transport, (21- 25 Nov). Installation at the window of the Galerie im Saalbau. Financed by the Science, Research and Culture Administration of the City of Berlin and the Culture Office of Berlin-Neukölln. Bilder bewegen II A campaign under the auspices of the Ernst Reuter Initiative for Intercultural Dialogue and Understanding, a cooperation project of the ministers for foreign affairs of Turkey and Germany. Digital animation at the underground transport TV (18 - 23 Dec 2006).

2005 | Integration - Pictures of Migrant Women in Berlin | Berlin
Realisation of 11 workshops with women from 19 different countries. Creation of a series of 21 pictograms. Exhibition at the Galerie im Saalbau (Sep-Oct 2005) and installation of three bigger posters at 90 bus stops in Neukölln and 3 advertising spots in Kreuzberg. Financed by the Science, Research and Culture Administration of the City of Berlin and the Culture Office of Berlin-Neukölln.

2004 | Proyecto Ausländer - Berlin-Buenos Aires 2003/2004
Making of a series of 12 Pictograms (Berlin). Installation in backlight advertising spots in the centre of Buenos Aires (Dec 2003-Jan 2004). Publication of 700 booklets (Asunto Impreso, ISBN 9789505330010, sold out). Supported by Publicidad Sarmiento.

Cooperation

2010 | Participation in the exhibition | Neue Heimat – Zwischen den Welten | Zeppelin Museum Friedrichshafen
05.03.2010 - 25.04.2010
mehr

2009 | Participation in the exhibition | verborgen:gesehen – Bilder gesellschaftlichen Wandels 6 | Cooperation: Schader-Stiftung and Hessischen Landesmuseums Darmstadt | Schader-Stiftung Gallery| Darmstadt
From 31.10.2009 to 31.1.2010 at the Schader-Stiftung Gallery, Darmstadt.
15.1.2010: migrantas conference.
more

2009 | Conference | Do you remember Olive Morris? | Gasworks | London
21/11/2009 - 24/01/2010
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2009 | Book TASCHEN | Brand Identity Now! Winning brands from around the world | Editor Julius Wiedemann
„Brand Identity Now!“, 384 Pages. Multilingual Edition: English, French, German. "In-depth analysis of the world's leading brands and communications campaigns: Brand Identity Now! is the principal work of reference in its field". Essay about Kollektiv migrantas “Migrantas Initiative - Hieroglyphics for Democracy - From personal experience to social message” written by the argentine graphic design professor Enrique Longinotti.
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2009 | Cover and opening pages with pictograms | Unsere Wirklichkeit ist anders - Migration und Alltag | Pubishers Dirk Lange and Ayça Polat | Bonn
The BUNDESZENTRALE FÜR POLITISCHE BILDUNG commissioned migrantas to illustrate with pictograms and cover photo the first volume of the new collection "Perspektiven politischer Bildung".
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2009 | Exhibition | Einmischung erwünscht! 60 Jahre Grundgesetz | BUNDESZENTRALE FÜR POLITISCHE BILDUNG in Cooperation with The German Historical Museum, Berlin | Bonn
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2008 | Exhibition | European Governance of Migration - International Conference | Heinrich Böll Stiftung | Berlin
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2008 | Participation | " The migrants" - Tania Bruguera | IN TRANSIT 08 - Haus der Kulturen der Welt | Berlin
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2008 | Website | Space - Gallery of Art & Migration | Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
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2008 | Lecture | Launch project "Klappe, die Zweite!" | Berlin
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2007 | Exhibition | Messe Import Shop | Meine Deine Unsere Welt - Kulturen in Bewegung | Berlin
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2006 | Participation | Border Games Lounge | Berlin
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Museums: Inclusion of posters and postcards in the collections of the following museums:

Deutsches Historisches Museum, Berlin
Haus der Geschichte der Bundesrepublik Deutschland, Bonn
Museo de Arte Moderno de Buenos Aires

since 2008
Travelling exhibition | Wanderausstellung

The travelling exhibition presents the results of the numerous socio-cultural projects that migrantas have undertaken in Berlin, Buenos Aires, Hamburg and Cologne, between 2003 and the present day. Bilingual texts with numerous images explain our work with hundreds of migrants. At the centre of the presentation is the unique developmental process, from sketch to an artistic pictogram, which enables migrantas to express and bring to light the everyday experiences and feelings of immigrant women.
The exhibition is suitable for congresses, conferences or symposia on migration and integration. It can also be displayed in public institutions.
more

Press | To read or listen, please click on title

Darmstadt 2009
Bundesmigrantinnen: 2007 Hamburg | 2008 Köln
International Herald Tribune | At home abroad | by Clare Fleishman 28./29.10.2005
Taz | Zwischenauftenthalt Berlin | by Waltraud Schwab, 20.10.2005
Jungle World | Ganz schön integriert | by Jessica Zeller, Nr. 41, 12.10.2005
Jüdische Allgemeine | Das interessiert Berlin | 14.10.2005
Zitty | Tagestipps | Plakatierung | Nr. 22/2005
Tagesspiegel | Ticket | 13.–19.10.2005
Diario Clarin | Inmigración en Europa | Argentina by Araceli Viceconte, 14.11.2005
radiomultikulti rbb Broadcast on Tue. 21.11.2006
radioeins rbb Broadcast Nov. 2005
rbb Abendschau Broadcast Nov. 2006

Web Article by Nimet Seker in: German, Polish, French, Italian, Turkish, English and Arab, 2008

Web-Presence

Bundesmigrantinnen | Images of Migrantion in Germany´s Urban Space

Nach den Berliner Projekten, die großen Anklang gefunden hatten, machte migrantas den erfolgreichen Schritt in weitere deutsche Städte: Hamburg 2007 und Köln 2008.
Durch Kontaktaufnahmen mit kommunalen Vertreter/innen vielerorts, baut migrantas kontinuierlich ein Netzwerk aus, um sein soziokulturelles Projekt „Bundesmigrantinnen – Bilder der Migration im öffentlichen Raum“ noch weiter zu tragen.
Piktogramme, die Gefühle und das Alltagsleben von Migrantinnen widerspiegeln, zeigen nicht nur lokal durchaus verschiedene migratorische und kulturelle Hintergründe, sondern auch die spezifischen Wahrnehmungen und Realitäten des Zusammenlebens in den unterschiedlichen Städten und Regionen Deutschlands.
Gerne laden wir Interessent/innen aus weiteren Städten, Akteure aus den Kommunen und aus sozialen oder kulturellen Einrichtungen ein, mit uns gemeinsam das Projekt „Bundesmigrantinnen – Bilder der Migration im öffentlichen Raum“ im Jahr 2009 umzusetzen.
Kontakt: Irma Leinauer migrantas@yahoo.com

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Förderer und Unterstützer der bisher von migrantas realisierten Projekte waren:

migrantas team

Marula Di Como (artist) has been developing pictograms as a part of her aesthetical language since 2000. She and Florencia Young (graphic designer) had worked together in Buenos Aires in the projects "El futuro está en el papel pintado de la Bauhaus" (Goethe Institute, Buenos Aires, 1997) and "Des-Límites, Valle del Riachuelo Matanzas" (Goethe Institute, shown also in the Di Tella Institute and chosen by curator Catherine David for the exhibition "City Editing", Proa Foundation, Buenos Aires 1999). They met again in Berlin and together conceived "Proyecto Ausländer”, which deals with the experience of being a foreigner (Berlin and Buenos Aires, 2003/2004). In 2004 they invited sociologist Estela Schindel to take part in their work and together they formed the team Migrantas with the proyects : "Integration" (Berlin 2005), "Interkulturelle Werkstatt", "Bilder bewegen" y "Bilder bewegen II" (in Berlin 2006). Irma Leinauer (urban planner) joins Migrantas in 2006 to realise the proyect "Bundesmigrantinnen" beginning at first stage in Hamburg in autumn 2007.

Marula Di Como
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1963, has lived in Berlin since 2002. Artist. She has been taking part in individual and collective exhibitions since 1987. Her work can be found in museums, foundations and private collections in Argentina and abroad.

Florencia Young
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentinain 1965, has lived in Berlin since 2002. Graphic designer (UBA). She has taught at several universities, specializing in typography. She works in corporate identity design, multimedia stations and artistic installations.

Estela Schindel
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1968, has lived in Berlin since 1999. Sociologist. She studied Communications and holds a PhD in Sociology at the Free University of Berlin, where she currently teaches. She has published articles on art, memory, gender and migration.

Irma Leinauer
Born in Peiting, Germany in 1958, has lived in Berlin since 1985.
Residences abroad during several years. She has studied Urban and Regional Planning at the TU Berlin (Technical University of Berlin). She has published on history of modern architecture, housing and reighbourhood development.

Alejandra López
Born in Resistencia, Argentina in 1973, has lived in Berlin since 2001. Journalist.
She wrote for the newspaper "La Nacion" in Argentina. In Berlin works as radio and tv journalist and took part in many intercultural projects.

Impressum / Contact

Migrantas
Marula Di Como | Florencia Young
c/o Di Como - Ebertystraße 19
D-10249 Berlin
migrantas@yahoo.com
Inhaltlich Verantwortliche gemäß TMG § 5: Marula Di Como und Florencia Young
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