The Grass is always greener on the other Side.
Six billion euros is the amount that the European Union paid Turkey between 2016-2018 to prevent refugees from continuing to travel to Europe. By shifting its borders, the EU is trying to free itself from its global political responsibilities, while every day in the Mediterranean people drown and Turkey is shooting at refugees on its border with Syria. At the same time, the work of the unfortunately necessary civil sea rescue is being massively criminalized or completely stopped by the state, while the EU and NATO have ended their missions in the Mediterranean. A glimmer of hope was the reactions of European civil society and also of many municipalities, which declared themselves to be cities of refuge (sanctuary cities).
Six billion euros is also the monetary value of the banknotes from which the walls built in the installation “Fortress Europe” are built. Equipped with NATO wire, they enclose not only the clearly visible flag of the EU, but also the unattainable idea of a safer and better world on the other side.
One of the sea rescue NGOs is SOS Humanity. Please support them with donations.
The installation was shown for the first time in 2016 at Guck mal Günther, Kunst in Kriens. Since then, it has been also shown at MS Artville in Hamburg, at the Artlake Festival in Brandenburg, and at OFF Bratislava.
Shredded Euro-banknotes, wood, acrylic glass, concertina wire, EU-flag, astroturf.