The Color of Belonging (weaving the fabric of urban life).

I was awarded a residency with the Jiwar Making Neighbourhoods project in Barcelona, where I created experiential maps and poems using textiles, paper, and digital media. Walking, conversations, documentary work, current events, and historical research formed the foundation for these interpretations.

While I was there, public demonstrations surrounding the Catalan independence referendum were happening with massive peaceful marches through the streets by day and the sound of clanging pots-n-pans from balconies at dusk. The visual language that emerged reflected the emotional evolution of Barcelona in the midst of political change — in current time and with a nod to the post-Franco poets, architects, and others who formed a rich culture of democratic development values that continues today.

Supported by a grant from Jiwar Creation and Society/City of Barcelona Multicultural Affairs, this was the fifth year of the Making Neighbourhood Project in which 15 artists have participated from around the world. An Exhibition involving the Gracia community took place (with artists Elif Gulen and Isidor Fernandez) as well as community engagement in civic spaces.