No.12 from Aleppo, Syria

No.12 from Aleppo, Syria by Djordje Balmazovic. Map narrating a journey from Syria through Turkey, Greece, Macedonia and into Serbia. From a series of narrative maps documenting the journeys of individual refugees to Serbia, and some of their experiences – of persecution and violence, but also of friendship, solidarity and hope. In making the maps, the artist was keen to represent the journeys as factually as possible, in order to avoid overly dwelling on suffering. This makes the works a respectful and dignified way of re-telling the stories of journeys undertaken by people forced to leave their homes. Balmazovic worked with refugees in Serbia, at the Bogovada reception centre, interviewing people about their journeys after being invited to undertake a project there by the centre. The maps have since been used in workshops with high school students, to try to question attitudes towards refugees in Serbia, and have been displayed at the Baltic in Gateshead, and at the Museum of Modern Art at Ljubljana.

Object Details

ID: ZBA8724
Collection: Charts and maps
Type: Map
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Balmazovic, Djordje
Credit: © Djordje Balmazovic. National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. Acquired with Art Fund support.