This opinion piece deals with the artwork of Christoph Buechel, who displayed a shipwreck that sank and killed 1100 migrants. The Barca Nostra is a fishing ship that was supposed to carry more than thousands of migrants to Europe. However, the ship collided with a  Portuguese freighter in Italian waters. This was a fatal moment for all of the fleeing migrants. At the Venice Art Biennale, the Barca Nostra was unveiled in front of a crowd. For Christoph to choose to present this ship at the 58th Venice Art Biennale as an artwork, had been considered controversial because it had been part of a horrific moment. It is, therefore, necessary to question Buechel's project to be effective and persuasive. 

© @Barca Nostra

Figure 1. The shipwreck was used to depict horrific events at a art gallery.

Tragedy Or Art 

On the 18th of April in 2015, a tragedy struck Europe, when the Italian Navy recovered a shipwreck from the sea. The Italian government took it upon itself to investigate the ordeal. In honour of the affected deceased, 9.5 million euros was spent, to give back the identities of those who had, unfortunately, died in the tragedy. The issues surrounding the ship sinking in Europe's sea, link to the much larger problem that deals with the European ongoing migration crisis. This shipwreck holds a lot of nostalgic memories for those who had been involved. They would consider this a tragedy since they had lost someone that was dear to them. This person was on the ship to receive a better life. The ones who embark on such a journey, by immigrating from one country to another, know how difficult it is. This journey is not only difficult while people are on their way. It requires also this person to leave their family behind them in their original home. They do not know what will come next or if they will even survive this journey. In this case, the people who were present on the ship did not survive. They had died after they already had to make the decision to leave behind their family. This is not only a tragedy to the ones that have lost their family members, but it is also challenging to the ones who have experienced similar circumstances. These people know how it feels to leave behind their homes and family to find something better and new. Their journey was most probably as challenging as the ones on the shipwreck. Some are even lucky to have never encountered something so horrific. 

“BARCA NOSTRA surely is more than just a shipwreck; rather, it is a signifier of our reality, a relic of a human tragedy, as well as a monument to migration narrating the contemporary status of freedom of movement on a global scale.” 

(Takac, 2020)

To depict the shipwreck at an art festival is important but yet wrong at the same time. This is because of the past memories the ship is connected to. If someone who had never experienced or known someone who had to go through migration, most probably will not reminisce about horrible moments. But, art is there to display ideas or feelings. Thus, if someone sees the shipwreck and feels anything, be it good or bad emotions, this moment would fulfil the purpose of the art piece. According to the Press release at the event, the Barca Nostra is described as a “vehicle of significant sociopolitical, ethical and historical importance” (Designboom, 2015). In this respect, the issue surrounding the background of the art piece seems to be taken into consideration. The people part of the event are sympathizing with the ordeal. 

However, according to the Guardian the Baraca Nostra lacked contextualisation. The objective of the artist, Christoph Buechel, had not been clearly presented. The artwork is part of a sensitive topic and therefore this shipwreck could be considered disastrous art. Buechel had failed to make a substantial connection between the art and the social issues, the migration crisis (Guardian, 2022). This art piece is supposed to initiate a constructive conversation about the issues in the EU and the migration crisis. Nonetheless, the Guardian found that this was not true. Buechel had failed to make this possible and instead, the artwork was discussed solely about its state (Guardian, 2022). 

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is suggested that Barca Nostra failed to initiate the purpose that the art had to offer. The pain and the challenging memories the ship carries, including the effects it has on those affected, will last a long time. It is therefore difficult to consider Buechel's actions as effective or persuasive. He is aware of the problematic issues that the EU has been dealing with since the migration crisis in 2015. For him to choose this shipwreck, but fail to make it about this topic, is unforgivable. The Barca Nostra should have not been presented at the art festival. It should have been handled in a more sensitive manner, instead of letting a person get a hand on it, who is obviously not able to present the right message. It is upsetting to know that there is again a failed conversation about the migration crisis. 

References

Takac, B. (2020, December 4). Barca Nostra - Christoph Buechel’s Shipwreck in Venice Biennale. Art News. https://www.widewalls.ch/magazine/barca-nostra-christoph-buchel-ship-ven...

Designboom. (2019, May 9). Christoph büchel brings boat that killed hundreds of migrants to the venice art biennale. Designboom | Architecture & Design Magazine. https://www.designboom.com/art/christoph-buchel-barca-nostra-boat-venice...

Editorial. (2022, October 19). The Guardian view on the Venice Biennale’s migrant boat: pushing the limits of art. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2019/may/17/the-guardian-view-...