UNDER PRESSURE - a reconciliation-based art project at Maria Kirkeplads
Part of the Maria Project, curated by Matthias Hvass Borello
St. Mary's Church, Istedgade, Copenhagen V
Partners: Kenneth Balfelt // Johan August
23. september – 30. november 2023
UNDER PRESSURE was an exhibition project as a reconciliatory and activist stepping stone towards a holistic and long-term social, architectural and cultural solution for Maria Kirkeplads. A space of reconciliation as a necessary prelude to a longer process about Maria Kirkeplads that will build understanding and recognition of needs and living conditions across groups in Vesterbro.
Seeing poverty makes us afraid.
Kenneth Balfelt and Johan August
Inspiration
The project is inspired by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of South Africa 1995-2001, which was tasked with mapping the human rights violations that took place under the apartheid regime after 1960 and thereby facilitating reconciliation between the population groups. The Commission could grant amnesty in exchange for full testimony.
For us, the Truth Commission is a bigger step for humanity than the moon landing.
Kenneth Balfelt and Johan August
The process
UNDER PRESSURE begins in September 2023, where we held an activism meeting to get politicians talking about a long-term solution. a long-term solution, and, initially, two reconciliation meetings with all parties, the homeless users, local residents, the church, authorities and the municipality, to establish a common space for dialogue, reflection and realization.
The focus was on the group of Romanian poverty migrants, as they are not heard and are one of the most stigmatized groups in society. This group of 20-30 people has been a regular visitor to the space - also at night, which has led to conflicts in the neighborhood and most recently in June 2023, frustrations led to a petition and raid by the police immigration unit, who intimidated and threatened users away.
In our interviews with the homeless, we found out that they have given up their own lives back in Romania to get jobs, which for the vast majority end up collecting deposits so they can send money for their children and families' survival, schooling and health back home. In other words, they are legal EU migrants seeking work.
Many neighbors wanted the conditions to change and were frustrated by the condition, which hasn't evolved much over the past 50 years. But after the clearance, things calmed down for the first time in a long time. Therefore, we interpret that the residents did not come to either the activism or reconciliation meetings. At the same time, we noticed that for the first time in 10-15 years, the labor migrants had been denied access to sleep at Marie Kirkeplads. This created further insecurity and poor sleep for them, which affected their ability to work.
Maria Kirkeplads with art installation
The homeless are invited back
In early November, we invite users back to the church square to spend the night. By analyzing the camp law with Stenbroens Jurister, we find models for how users can safely and within the framework of the camp law stay in the square, we set up awnings, rules of order (made in collaboration with the users), erected a designed flag, marked out plots, purchased tents, established a shed for sleeping gear and we were present daily to follow the process.
This quickly got both neighbors and politicians, somewhat indignant about the return of the homeless, to get involved in the problems surrounding the church square - and the press also took notice of the project.
The project therefore has a final third reconciliation meeting where all parties finally participate, now also neighbors and politicians, and everyone gives vent to their frustrations and difficult experiences with the square, and then two important meetings: first with City Architect Camilla van Deurs, and then Social Mayor Karina Vestergård Madsen, who is personally handed the project's experiences and collected knowledge by ten homeless, a neighbor, the curator, the priest and the artists on December 1 at Copenhagen City Hall.
The cynicism of necessity
At the activism meeting, we identify the overwhelming prejudice and stigmatization of the Romanian Roma migrant workers as a serious barrier for anyone to step in and help them. That's why the communication department at Vesterbro Parish joins the effort with three portrait films of three of the regular users: Angelica, Ion and Cosmin, to show that it is people with personalities and needs that we exclude. Because if we accept that these people live in poverty and as cast-offs in Danish and EU legislation, we create a new norm in Denmark. A norm where our humanity is slowly destroyed by an involuntary necessary cynicism that enables us to look away.
The project was followed closely by TV2 Kosmopol and Berlingske. The project also resulted in a post by pastor Lise Christina Rasmussen (Open letter: Where are you?) in Politiken on Nov. 20, 2023 addressed to the Minister of Social Affairs, and the spokespersons and the artists respond (Migrant workers with work gloves on) to a debate post from Jens-Kristian Lütken, Mayor of Employment and Integration (Poor Eastern European migrants became props in artistic happening). The project was also followed by documentary filmmaker Jella Bethmann (produced in collaboration between TV2 and DFI - The Danish Film Institute).
