Immigrants have the voice – “ELECTIONS” project of Biennale resident, Marta Romankiv
Press release
Immigrants can cast their “invalid” yet very important vote as part of “ELECTIONS”, an action co-organised by Biennale on the eve of Presidential elections in Poland.
The “ELECTIONS” project encourages immigrants to cast a symbolic vote. It is an artistic attempt to initiate impossible situations, which arose from the necessity to change the perception of the immigrants’ role and figure. This is a symbolic action that aims to gather the votes of people who are left out of the current electoral system.
The author and initiator of the action is Marta Romankiv, an activist born in Lviv, now based in Poland, and a Biennale Warszawa resident. “If you think that regardless of your place of birth, nationality or citizenship, your vote is important, take part in the voting!” — this encouragement was posted on Facebook in four languages: Polish, English, Ukrainian and Russian. Immigrants will be able to cast their votes — not included in the official election results, but very important ones nonetheless — during the week before the actual presidential elections, e.g. in Galeria Labirynt in Lublin, the Arsenal Municipal Gallery in Poznań, TRAFO Center for Contemporary Art in Szczecin, Łaźnia Center for Contemporary Art in Gdańsk, as well as local offices of departments for foreigners’ affairs. A full list of venues and opening hours can be found at: https://biennalewarszawa.pl/en/wybory/ The “polling station” in Biennale Warszawa at Marszałkowska 34/50 (MA34/50) in open Monday to Friday, 22–26 June 2020 between 16:00 and 20:00. Ballot boxes with collected ballot papers will not be opened and the votes will not be counted. Closed voting urns with “invalid” votes will serve as the manifesto regarding the necessity to look for new solutions based on the openness and communality.
Poland is one of the world leaders in accepting migrant workers. Despite this, an integration system hasn’t been implemented by any reforms. During last year’s election campaigns, none of the Polish political parties presented a comprehensive program on migration policy. This topic is also hardly present in the current pre-election discussion. By allowing residency, the current system simultaneously excludes them from the possibility of real influence on the policy of the country in which they live. Such a mechanism leads to discrimination which makes the integration process extremely difficult.
Project author:
„Niewidzialność” w podstawowym systemie demokracji prowadzi do ciągłej dyskryminacji i wykluczenia. Czy naturalnym jest, że mimo spędzenia w Polsce większości życia, Sasza wciąż nie ma wpływu na otaczającą ją rzeczywistość polityczną?Jeśli Ty też jesteś „niewidoczny”, ale uważasz, że twój głos powinien być uznany, weź udział w projekcie! Symbolicznie zagłosować będziesz mógł/mogła w terminie 22–28 czerwca! "Invisibility" in the basic system of democracy leads to constant discrimination and exclusion. Is it natural that, despite spending most of her life in Poland, Sasha still has no influence on the political reality that surrounds her?If You are also an “invisible”, but You think, that Your vote should be acknowledged, take part in the project! You will be able to symbolically vote between 22 and 28 June! „Невидимость” в базовой демократической системе приводит к постоянной дискриминации и исключению. Естественно ли, что несмотря на то, что Саша провела большую часть своей жизни в Польше, она по-прежнему не может влияет на окружающую ее политическую реальность?Если Ты тоже «невидим», но считаешь, что независимо от места рождения, национальности или гражданства Твой голос важен, прийми участие в проекте! Символически проголосовать Ты сможешь 22-28 июня!#imigrancigłosujmy
Opublikowany przez Immigrant, take a vote Poniedziałek, 15 czerwca 2020
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