Are you an artist who addresses issues of identity, selfhood, religious affiliations, family history or nationhood in your visual or written work? Or have you or your family experienced displacement as a result of political events? If so I would like to hear from you, regardless of location or country and particularly, (but not exclusively) Greece, Turkey, the Balkans or Cyprus.

I am undertaking research and producing work relating to the above themes, and I would like to connect with others.  The aim is to create an active international community of art practitioners to promote dialogue, international exchanges, publications, on-line presence and exhibitions.

I feel that art is a powerful force, not as a means of spreading propaganda but as a way to access another level of discourse and awareness, across the political and economic spectrum. I hope that this project will strengthen our work, and create a legacy organisation that will continue to bring artists together and to address important questions through art. Collaboration with identified artists and focus on the following with a view to creating a global community and to bring artists together, in order to create, and generate meaningful debate on the role of art within an unpredictable global setting.

We are looking for visual artists working in any 2D or 3D media, able to express in written form the feelings and drivers behind their work. We would also welcome writers of fiction and academics who wish to participate in the project. Some of the areas or questions that you may be addressing in your work are listed below. The list is not exhaustive (or meant to restrict participation), so if you feel that you would like to take part, please contact the curator. 

To what extent you aware of the formation and use of cultural constructs, influences, norms, histories, myths and symbols within your practice?

How are these concepts expressed?

What motivates or inspires the use or allusion to these concepts?

Is the work used to explore universal issues or as personal catharsis? If both, which concern predominates?

Can cultural constructs, influences, norms, histories, myths and symbols be decoded by the audience of the work? Are the references overt, subliminal or hidden?

What other related themes relating to identity find expression in your work?

What role does family history, history of conflict or displacement play in the narratives or subjects depicted within your work and how are you influenced by your geographical and/or national setting?

 In what ways can art be used as a means of reconciliation?

What would a global platform for the use of art as means for reconciliation look like?

The outcomes of the project will be the:

International links between artists in the UK and abroad. 

A global forum and media hub for artists working on the theme of identity, and reconciliation.

A publication of visual work and accompanying narrative by contributing artists.

Longer term collaboration online.

International engagement and exhibitions.

Formation of a core group of international contributors to promote links and further develop the scope of projects using art as a tool for international dialogue.