Oto Hudec

I would like to propose a work on these issues, something, which I am working on in different locations for a longer time, with a specific perspective of an artist. The work will consist of visiting institutions and NGO's dealing with refugees and immigrants, visiting immigrant's neighborhoods in Vienna and people of Czechoslovak origin that moved to Austria before fall of socialism. Instead of typical video documentary, I would like to create a sort of visual puzzle based on drawings, animations, interviews and texts and possibly murals or music pieces which can turn to an improvisational guide for viewer. These pieces might come from a more physical then virtual experience of walking through the streets, observing and participating in activities and workshops.

This work could be a way to see these (in present time very complicated) issues in different light, through the eyes of a foreigner. On the other hand, my determination is to bring the results of this work over the border to Slovakia- to strengthen the view of Slovak spectators over the subject.

Given my experiences with participatory art with mostly young people in immigrant and gypsy communities, this work might extend into workshops in currently created Syrian refugee camps, which might stay as a separate voluntary activity, or become part of the project, in respect towards the people, their privacy and fragile situation and Austrian regulations in the camps.

Given the lack of prevision for immigration and refugee situation in the next year, this project is and will be based on improvisation, observation, getting to know, rather than proposing a definitive art piece, location, or community.

Although I lived for many years in Bratislava and visited Vienna occasionally, it was still an unknown territory to me. I took the time at Q21 residency as a way to discover the town behind it's surface – through the lenses of a specific theme: the life of refugees and people who helped them while they were getting accustomed to their new environment.
During my stay I made a series of interviews with these people and a workshop with kids and families in Hotel Favorita, a refugee shelter. I worked with an idea of trees in the forest – where the stronger and taller trees support the weaker and younger by passing the nutrients through their roots. Instead of a group of individualities, a forest acts as an interconnected community. In 2015, when large number of refugees entered Austria, many Viennese reacted with solidarity. Now, in 2016, facing complicated elections, I was looking, what stayed active from this solidarity. I was also curious, what kind of help is offered to the refugees to adapt and be part of Austrian society.
When I told about my idea of the trees in the forest to a friend of mine, an artist from Damascus, living in Beirut, he told me his story about a lemon tree, that his father planted when he was born. When he visits Damascus today, he always goes to see the tree.
It would be a beautiful utopia, if for each refugee who asks for asylum in Austria (or elsewhere), a tree would be planted. It would remind us, that these people, who once entered the country after perilous journey are still here, becoming part of the society, slowly spreading their roots. Because the adaptation process doesn't end up with receiving an asylum.
During November in Vienna I collected video, photo and audio material, adding drawings and small paintings. This material is waiting to be edited. At the end I would like to make a publication mixing texts, paintings and photos: a report on a city in particular, decisive time and on people who did not give up.