Migration has been a constant presence in my life, as our family first relocated to Yemen when I was months old and we would relocate every three years, thereafter. This background has left me with a deep connection with other migrants. My current home is Houston, Texas, which is diverse and has a large migrant community that provides the workforce backbone of the city.

The area that I am focussing on is on the outskirts of Houston where there is a rapid and ongoing expansion. The original dwellers in the area were the Mayan, Apache, Tonkawa tribes, who all left marks of their presence in the area, although it is only really visible in street names.

My intent is to document and illustrate the evidence of the migrant journeys, and the trace evidence left behind from their labours. The hand rendered walls, the years of tar and paint applications applied in extreme weather conditions. The vilified migrant, and their artwork go unnoticed. They are both metaphorically removed when the stucco is applied.

The shift created by COVID-19 brought about a meditative, reflective approach to recording these journeys and hand renderings. Drawing on my own experiences and influences, including Brice Marden and Cy Twombly gave me inspiration for camera-less work, turning to printmaking and mixed media.

This has resulted in following a path that I did not see at the start of my journey, but one that has moved me to produce images that I feel capture my thoughts of a very complex historical issue that is still being played out today.

De Ferrier, Migrant journeys. 2020 Unique state shoji gami. 60′ x 11″

My list of influential artists is growing rapidly. Julie Mehretu has always facinated me, her scale is immense, and her context is similar to mine in her depiction of race riots, and the challenges that people of colour have to deal with every day. The sewing work of Joanna Choumali, Jessica Rankin, and Idris Khan has definitely inspired me in exploring different ways to record journeys. These artists all deal with the subject of home, a revelation for me.

Recently I have revisited old loves, in Cy Twombly, Guillermo Kuitca, John Milton Cage and Frank Gohlke all of whom have made work that is visually similar to mine. Franz Kline and abstract expressionism, how dramatic his paintings, how thoughtfully created. Brice Marden, and his deep connection with the landscape and light.  Interestingly enough this research has brought with it a deeper connection, and understanding of what I’m actually attempting to do and say with my own work.

I have always wrestled with the ‘why’ part of my practice, why this color, shape, line, why rusty buildings, why dereliction, why traces left by humans?  Why brick walls, why migrants? It’s about me, a migrant with a deep connection, and empathy for other migrants. I know some of the experiences , I know the brick walls, the closed doors, I also know that often we are not, and never will be accepted for who we are unless we change. Where do we actually belong when we move so much?

I have received encouraging feedback for tutors and peers, but I do feel lacking in something. I cannot quite reach a concise way of articulating my ideas. This definitely needs work, but I do feel that this recent research has helped enormously.

This module has challenged all of us. I have absolutely loved it, the failures,  pushing  boundaries, I have learned so much about tools, mediums and my approach. I have been reckless, and fearless in my approach, and it has been very rewarding. Growing in this way can only bring good, my motivation is strong, and I aim to continue to experiment with scale, supports and methodologies.

Daido Moriyama is a prolific photographer, he has from the beginning of his career been engaged with photobooks. When someone works in this way photobooks are a great choice for the dissemination of their work.

In an interview with Moriyama he said that he didn’t want to have a show of photographs. Instead he borrowed a Canon copy machine, and made copies of his images, which he then stapled together. The quality was poor, the toning inconsistent, and parts of the images were missing. This image degradation was immediately interesting to Moriyama, he felt that this was an appropriate treatment for his publication Another Country : New York.

I have enjoyed making the zine, Ruscha accordion book, pamphlet and book dummies for this module. I am aiming to continue to explore these avenues in the upcoming modules.

De Ferrier, Accordion book. 2020

Link to zine.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/187PQ76sOBA7on7xq5QjuK8TVOcnVy3eS/view?usp=sharing

Link to pamphlet.

https://www.canva.com/design/DAEBObSWM1k/share/preview?token=aPhoLmRi0yZ1jAERTpFs1w&role=EDITOR&utm_content=DAEBObSWM1k&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link&utm_source=sharebutton

Rice paper rough dummy trial for sixty foot print.

Bibliography

‘Authentication Required’. 2020. [online]. Available at: https://users.talis.com/3/auth/login?nc=1596133339&original_provider=falmouth&redirectUri=https%3A%2F%2Fcontent.talisaspire.com%2Ffalmouth%2Fbundles%2F5915d34c540a2610c4421884&state=0cea6092a9fe755a9a3ecae28e0560c65f230fdaf3b022.85762987&app=TADC&xid=5f230fdb4ebd1 [accessed 30 Jul 2020].

De Ferrier, Papaya. 2020 Cyanotype.

The beauty of workshops is to inspire, teach and learn from each other.  To experiment, share information, ideas and to gather as a community.  This is so well explained in the paper ‘Visualizing’community’ : an experiment in participatory photography among Kurdish diasporic workers in London. The Kurdish community were having problems at work, and a work shop in photography study was held to  help create a group identity, social belonging, and community support.   To create a community to help “In explaining issues, such as identity and community, which can often be difficult to  verbalize or articulate.”  In this group the participants were asked to learn that it was important to ‘lose control’ and allow them to be able to ‘speak’ for themselves using the lens of their cameras.

I have been a life long migrant, and this short paper was enlightening. Migration can be traumatic on many levels. It’s possible that this paper could be a pivotal moment for me. I have struggled personally to network, engage and settle after every move to another country.  I think this is why I feel so connected to other migrants.

My idea would to be to engage with other migrants in my area, to create a small community with neighbors, and friends so we can discuss issues that we may find difficult, while learning a new technique. Many visitors to my backyard exhibition expressed an interest in a workshop to learn how to create cyanotypes. What was really interesting was that the plants they wished to print were herbs particular to different cultures, and different cuisines.

The idea for this workshop will be on hold for the present time, due to rising Covid cases in Houston Harris county.

HOLGATE, Jane, Janroj KELES and Leena KUMARAPPAN. 2012. ‘Visualizing “Community”: An Experiment in Participatory Photography among Kurdish Diasporic Workers in London’. Sociological Review 60(2), 312–32.