Omar Imam - Space Refugee
Redefining the term refugee
What does it mean to be a refugee? Some words might come to mind. Artist Omar Imam seeks to redefine this concept by infusing his artwork with humour and imagination. Imagine seeing displaced individuals as superheroes. Omar encourages us to celebrate their strength and creativity as they navigate their circumstances.
“I try to redefine the term refugee with a bit of satire and through my own perspective about what a refugee can do… like a superpower.”
In this video, Omar shares his gigantic sculpture Space Refugee (2019), which stands an impressive 3.4 meters tall and weighs 400 kg. This whimsical piece features a father-daughter duo, Omar and Bianca, on intergalactic adventures, accompanied by a huge purple lollipop. Their unconventional mode of transportation? A giant purple skippybal. As Omar shares, ‘Being on this skippybal and just moving around time and space with my daughter can be home for me.’ Home in this world is not connected to a place. Home is where you can live with your loved ones. If you agree with Omar, who do you think is your home?
All Directions
This artwork is part of the exhibition All Directions. In this exhibition you discover more about identity and happiness, about crossing borders and being forced to flee, about saying goodbye and coming home. Read more about All Directions.
