When explorers of the past were unable to map an area of the world, they described it as terra incognita – land unknown. Nowadays, no map admits to a terra incognita. And yet…this is what I found between Italy’s mountains. Across Europe, refugees are placed in almost empty villages to fight rural depopulation. But how do they make a home in a place others choose to abandon?
With the support of: Institut Français de Grèce
Shirley van der Maarel
I am a filmmaking researcher with a background in Visual Ethnography, Human Rights and Philosophy. Whatever lies at the crossroad – that is what I am interested in. Using artistic and collaborative research methods, I try to understand – with all the senses – how people experience socio-political issues. My work led me to create research, photography and film projects across the world, including Italy, China, Lebanon, Uganda, Kenya and the Netherlands. Currently I am a PhD candidate at the Granada Centre for Visual Anthropology in Manchester working on an artistic research project in depopulating villages in Europe.