IRT work with ‘Monitor Man’

13/11/2018

Up and coming artist Yassine Khaled exhibited his recent work ‘Monitor Man’ at the Watermans Art Centre, Brentford last weekend. Yassine is a Moroccan born artist who travelled from Helsinki, briefly stopping in London on his way to Finland, especially to exhibit his new piece.

In Monitor Man, Yassine Khaled creates an embodiment of virtual communication in the public space. The artist wears a helmet affixed with an iPad, which offers a real-time connection with a person outside of Europe and the Western world. Through technology and his own body, Khaled uses the performance to transgress actual national borders which separate people. The performance is an opportunity for people to meet with someone who is physically far away and restricted in their freedom of movement. Monitor Man was inspired by the current overseas refugee crisis and how it is unfolding in relation to the internet, social media, and the omnipresence of technology. The project began on the streets of Helsinki but is ongoing, as the artist continues to present the work in different locations around the Western world.

Yassine has asked, The International Refugee Trust, to include refugees and staff working on their projects in Uganda, Tanzania, South Sudan, and Jordan. The refugees and project staff have agreed to be part of his exhibition and they will have the opportunity to talk to members of the public all over the world, through Yassine’s Monitor Man helmet.

Jessica Eames, Fundraising Manager of IRT said: “We are so excited to be supporting the incredibly talented Yassine with his worldwide exhibition, and we’re so grateful for his help in raising awareness of the ongoing refugee crisis overseas.

His Monitor Man exhibition will mean the general public in the western world can talk directly to refugees overseas (and the humanitarians assisting them) helping them understand that the refugees we help are just regular people like you and me. Sadly, these refugees are caught up in war and conflict in their home countries, they need our help from the western world.”

Find out more about Yassine Khaled and his work.