Juan delGado: Altered Landscapes

Altered Landscapes is a new body of work by Juan delGado which traces a personal narrative through the scarred vistas of Europe in the midst of the largest mass migration in living memory. In 2016 delGado travelled to Greece, Macedonia and Calais and recorded the journeys taken by refugees, many of whom are from Syria and northern Iraq. The artist did not film these ‘invisible’ people who proliferate our media, rather he chose to capture the traces of their existence: the fleeting moments and marks left on the land as they pass through to find safety.

Altered Landscapes incorporates video, photography, light and sound. Presented as an immersive installation, it invites the viewer to navigate the gallery space and absorb the experiences of travelling through an unfamiliar landscape reminiscent of journeys made by many refugees. It reflects on the current situation in Europe, at the time when many European countries are fortifying their borders with wire fences and watchtowers to stop the flow of refugees.

Juan delGado has been awarded an INSIDE commission from New Art Exchange and DASH. INSIDE is a Disability Arts commissioning programme led by DASH with funding from Arts Council England. Altered Landscapes is supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England and by the Spanish Embassy Office for Cultural and Scientific Affairs in London.

New Art Exchange is wheelchair accessible. Altered Landscapes film installation is subtitled. Audio description, large print and easy read exhibition guide are available for this exhibition. Click here for more access information.

Download the exhibition guide here

Image credit: Juan delGado, Altered Landscapes, 2016.