Inspiration for work
Betrayal of the blind eye was a short participatory performance centred around themes relating to asylum seekers and refugees who enter the United Kingdom. More specifically, It highlights the way many white British citizens choose to turn a blind eye to the tragic treatment of asylum seekers and refugees, and more holistically, other social issues/ injustices that don't affect us directly. Even when we chose to watch the news, or converse on world issues, we act as an audience, indulging in statistics, and believing that the verbal process of giving sympathy is enough to clear our guilty conscience.
The performance acts as an opportunity to demonstrate how little the masses know about the reality and extent of issues, and how speaking about the issues aloud makes them feel like an unqualified imposter. Whilst doing this, It also simulates some of the conditions endured by Asylum Seekers and Refugees by: including a complex QR code system to make it difficult for participants to succeed - Just like the systems are governments place upon Asylum Seekers - and by delivering covert instructions to non-participating audience members to applaud over the top of the participants when they speak statistics aloud - this symbolically reflects the way when we 'listen' we don't actually hear.
