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Migrant Seascapes : Visualised Spaces of Political Exclusion

Lee-Morrison, Lila LU (2018) In Lund Studies in Arts and Cultural Sciences 16. p.67-87
Abstract
News images have played a defining role in the unfolding narratives of what has become known as the European migration crisis. Throughout the coverage of the crisis, a predominant and enduring image has been of photographs documenting the migrant journey by sea. This paper takes a closer look at these images, as a vehicle which shifts the narrative of the crisis as one defined by a territorial and political exclusion of the migrant. This analysis positions these images within an art historical context, wherein the motif of seascapes has articulated particular modes of political exclusion. I will analyze two examples of images of migrants at sea and relate these with two iconic seascapes, namely Théodore Géricault's the Raft of Medusa and... (More)
News images have played a defining role in the unfolding narratives of what has become known as the European migration crisis. Throughout the coverage of the crisis, a predominant and enduring image has been of photographs documenting the migrant journey by sea. This paper takes a closer look at these images, as a vehicle which shifts the narrative of the crisis as one defined by a territorial and political exclusion of the migrant. This analysis positions these images within an art historical context, wherein the motif of seascapes has articulated particular modes of political exclusion. I will analyze two examples of images of migrants at sea and relate these with two iconic seascapes, namely Théodore Géricault's the Raft of Medusa and the abolitionist commissioned diagrammatic drawing of the Brookes Slave Ship. I then consider these works within the backdrop of political philosophy, in particular, Thomas Hobbes' concept of a state of nature in opposition to the political state. In examining these mediated images of the migrant journey within the intersected discourse of art history and political philosophy, I aim to reveal some particularities on a contemporary arena of uncertainty, which engulfs not only the figure of the migrant but by relation, the legitimization of nationality. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
published
subject
host publication
Bild och natur : Tio konstvetenskapliga betraktelser - Tio konstvetenskapliga betraktelser
series title
Lund Studies in Arts and Cultural Sciences
editor
Bengtsen, Peter ; Liljefors, Max and Petersen, Moa
volume
16
pages
67 - 87
publisher
Lund Studies in Arts and Cultural Sciences
ISSN
2001-7529
2001-7510
ISBN
978-91-983690-4-5
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
84820ba6-83b0-4f61-aa90-fd2b1c28b0a8
alternative location
http://portal.research.lu.se/ws/files/40171478/Bild_och_natur_webb.pdf#page=70
date added to LUP
2018-04-04 15:30:26
date last changed
2018-11-21 21:39:05
@inbook{84820ba6-83b0-4f61-aa90-fd2b1c28b0a8,
  abstract     = {{News images have played a defining role in the unfolding narratives of what has become known as the European migration crisis. Throughout the coverage of the crisis, a predominant and enduring image has been of photographs documenting the migrant journey by sea. This paper takes a closer look at these images, as a vehicle which shifts the narrative of the crisis as one defined by a territorial and political exclusion of the migrant. This analysis positions these images within an art historical context, wherein the motif of seascapes has articulated particular modes of political exclusion. I will analyze two examples of images of migrants at sea and relate these with two iconic seascapes, namely Théodore Géricault's the Raft of Medusa and the abolitionist commissioned diagrammatic drawing of the Brookes Slave Ship. I then  consider these works within the backdrop of political philosophy, in particular, Thomas Hobbes' concept of a state of nature in opposition to the political state. In examining these mediated images of the migrant journey within the intersected discourse of art history and political philosophy, I aim to reveal some particularities on a contemporary arena of uncertainty, which engulfs not only the figure of the migrant but by relation, the legitimization of nationality.}},
  author       = {{Lee-Morrison, Lila}},
  booktitle    = {{Bild och natur : Tio konstvetenskapliga betraktelser}},
  editor       = {{Bengtsen, Peter and Liljefors, Max and Petersen, Moa}},
  isbn         = {{978-91-983690-4-5}},
  issn         = {{2001-7529}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  pages        = {{67--87}},
  publisher    = {{Lund Studies in Arts and Cultural Sciences}},
  series       = {{Lund Studies in Arts and Cultural Sciences}},
  title        = {{Migrant Seascapes : Visualised Spaces of Political Exclusion}},
  url          = {{http://portal.research.lu.se/ws/files/40171478/Bild_och_natur_webb.pdf#page=70}},
  volume       = {{16}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}