No mercy no dignity: Refleksjoner over et kunstnerisk utviklingsarbeid i Ål kyrkje

Abstract

This chapter discusses questions of dignity and mass migration addressed during the process of the making of a temporary art installation. The installation is located at “Ål kyrkje”, a church in Hallingdal in Norway. As the writer of this chapter I am both an artist making the installation and a researcher on my own art work. The chapter starts with an introduction to the concept “dignity” and a presentation of my understanding of the concept as open, dynamic and living. Different cultures and organizations assign different meanings to the concept of dignity. In my opinion, it is important to be aware of these different sunderstanding, and to try to find ways to communicate them openly and through dialog. Social semiotic theory is based on an understanding that all communication is social. This theory acknowledges the importance of roles that both the context and all the participants have in the communication. The main purpose of this chapter is to explore how I can make an art installation that does not give specific answers, but initiate visitors’ experiences, dialogues, reflections and new questions about mass migration and dignity.