THE GOLDEN WISH
The Golden Wish, 2019
Installation: Text instalation of gold (12 carat gold, 5 x 100 cm.
Tittel: The Golden Wish (video), Duration: 05'55 min. (seamless loop)
Title: The Golden Ghetto (drwaing installation on aluminium )
technique: acrylic and alcohol marker.
Installation views: IKM – Intercultural Museum, Oslo
Photo credit: Ulla Schildt
The Golden Wish, 2019
Installation: Text instalation of gold (12 carat gold, 5 x 100 cm.
Tittel: The Golden Wish (video), Duration: 05'55 min. (seamless loop)
Title: The Golden Ghetto (drwaing installation on aluminium )
technique: acrylic and alcohol marker.
Installation views: IKM – Intercultural Museum, Oslo
Photo credit: Ulla Schildt
The starting point for the project The Golden Wish were the so-called jewelry laws adopted in several European countries in the midst of the most recent ‘migration crisis’, ongoing since round 2015. These laws allow certain EU authorities to confiscate valuables from asylum seekers upon arrival in their country of choice, in order to finance expenses in connection with the asylum seekers stay until the proper asylum application is formally processed. The law gained public attention in Norway after Denmark had introduced it in 2016. In the summer of 2018, Qaradaki traveled back to his hometown of Suleymaniah, Iraqi Kurdistan, where there are two large refugee camps. The largest has 25,000 residents, most of whom are Syrians and Yezidis. Living conditions in the camps are miserable. Here he found that many refugees sold private possessions and valuables to finance their own escape. Qaradaki bought gold jewelry such as rings, necklaces and earrings from private and local dealers, such as jewelers in Arbat and Suleimania, where most of the refugees in the country live. All this gold, a total of 320 grams of twelve carat gold, was then melted down into a plate, which was later cut and welded into letters that form the phrase "EVERYTHING WILL BE OK". The process can be followed in the video work.
Victor Lind´s Opening Speech
My name is Victor Lind.
First I want to thank Shwan for asking me to open his own exhibition.
It is an honor!
Mankind has forever moved on them or moved to get a better or safe life. Shwan and his family have been through that and my own family too. They who escape or move hope for a better and well life. Everybody does not get that. Norwegian and Danish immigration policy is one of the strictest and ugliest in Europe. The racist states Poland and Hungary are kept outside.
With an overwhelming majority the Norwegian Parliament just said no to bring back a sick four year old and his mother who is a Norwegian citizen, from the al-Hol camp in Syria. Just MDG, SV and Rødt voted to bring back the sick four year old, his sister and mother.
There is no one that chooses to be a refugee. Today more than thousand of refugees are made in Turkey without NATO taking their NATO-membership.
Turkey occupies Kurdish areas in Northern-Syria. The Norwegian marshal Jens Stoltenberg has understanding for Turkeys security challenges and “war against terror”, but is concerned about the consequence. So it is! And IS rejoices!
There are young people from refugee camps in Iraq for which Shwan gives a face for in this exhibition.
They are shown as people like you and me with thoughts and dreams regarding the future. It is unceremoniously and strong. As contemporary icons. The wonders bring life and the world in the art. I miss that about art. Shwans exhibition is painfully topical. We in Norway should press the Government/the Parliament and NATO to stop all weapon sales to Turkey, and contribute Norway to receive refugees and treat them with dignity.
Shwans exhibition is a penetrating reminder that it is we who creates history – we have room for action. Use it!
The Golden Wish is happy to connect with The Golden Touch. The history of King Midas in the Greek mythology, but the story is often only told half way.
In the first half Dionysus the god let the rich King Midas wish him whatever he wants. King Midas wishes that everything he touches became gold. He touches the table and the chairs. They become gold.
He touches the food to eat and water to drink. The food and the water become gold. He embraces his dear daughter. She becomes a golden statue. The wish about gold has become a disaster that creates hunger and death.
The Greek legend has a last half that often does not get spoken about.
King Midas becomes desperate and complaints about his emergency to Dionysus. Dionysus hears King Midas complaints. The god asks the king to go to a river and wash his hands. Midas sees that the gold fades away from his hands. When he comes back everything becomes normal. Everything is not made of gold anymore. King Midas embraces his now living daughter. He changes. He decides to share his goods and gold with the people, and he does.
So, everything will be okay, but it is still very far way.
Hereby the exhibition is open.
Good luck!
My name is Victor Lind.
First I want to thank Shwan for asking me to open his own exhibition.
It is an honor!
Mankind has forever moved on them or moved to get a better or safe life. Shwan and his family have been through that and my own family too. They who escape or move hope for a better and well life. Everybody does not get that. Norwegian and Danish immigration policy is one of the strictest and ugliest in Europe. The racist states Poland and Hungary are kept outside.
With an overwhelming majority the Norwegian Parliament just said no to bring back a sick four year old and his mother who is a Norwegian citizen, from the al-Hol camp in Syria. Just MDG, SV and Rødt voted to bring back the sick four year old, his sister and mother.
There is no one that chooses to be a refugee. Today more than thousand of refugees are made in Turkey without NATO taking their NATO-membership.
Turkey occupies Kurdish areas in Northern-Syria. The Norwegian marshal Jens Stoltenberg has understanding for Turkeys security challenges and “war against terror”, but is concerned about the consequence. So it is! And IS rejoices!
There are young people from refugee camps in Iraq for which Shwan gives a face for in this exhibition.
They are shown as people like you and me with thoughts and dreams regarding the future. It is unceremoniously and strong. As contemporary icons. The wonders bring life and the world in the art. I miss that about art. Shwans exhibition is painfully topical. We in Norway should press the Government/the Parliament and NATO to stop all weapon sales to Turkey, and contribute Norway to receive refugees and treat them with dignity.
Shwans exhibition is a penetrating reminder that it is we who creates history – we have room for action. Use it!
The Golden Wish is happy to connect with The Golden Touch. The history of King Midas in the Greek mythology, but the story is often only told half way.
In the first half Dionysus the god let the rich King Midas wish him whatever he wants. King Midas wishes that everything he touches became gold. He touches the table and the chairs. They become gold.
He touches the food to eat and water to drink. The food and the water become gold. He embraces his dear daughter. She becomes a golden statue. The wish about gold has become a disaster that creates hunger and death.
The Greek legend has a last half that often does not get spoken about.
King Midas becomes desperate and complaints about his emergency to Dionysus. Dionysus hears King Midas complaints. The god asks the king to go to a river and wash his hands. Midas sees that the gold fades away from his hands. When he comes back everything becomes normal. Everything is not made of gold anymore. King Midas embraces his now living daughter. He changes. He decides to share his goods and gold with the people, and he does.
So, everything will be okay, but it is still very far way.
Hereby the exhibition is open.
Good luck!
