7-channel video installation and book
Installation views at Konsthall C, Stockholm
Description
What happens when democracy is taken for granted?
For several decades the “Swedish Model” has had the reputation of being ideal, but what is the state of democracy in Sweden today? The Immigrant Files: Democracy is Not Dead; It Just Smells Funny, approaches this and other challenging questions in a two-part project composed of a book and a video installation based on interviews with 8 Latin American immigrants residing in Sweden, who through their work actively fight discrimination and xenophobia based on ethnicity, race, religious beliefs gender and/or sexual orientation within contemporary Swedish society.
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The Book
The fully illustrated 192-page, bilingual (Swedish/English) book The Immigrant Files: Democracy is Not Dead; It Just Smells Funny contains an introduction by University of Lund sociologist Diana Mulinari and interviews with Miguel Benito (The Immigrant Institute, Borås), Joanna Castro (Information Officer at Zenit, Stockholm), Luis Adolfo Conde Costas (Sociologist), Carlos Díaz (The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights), Tigran Feiler (colombianatverket.se), Juan Fonseca (former M.P. for Social Democracy and director, Diskrimineringsbyrån, Stockholm), Pablo Leiva (The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights) and Karla López (former M.P. for the Green Party).
Download a free PDF here
The Installation
The video installation is a spatial presentation composed of several narrative sequences drawn from the interviews and from images filmed throughout Stockholm, Borås, Gothemburg, Visby, and Fåro Island.
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The Videos
Miguel Benito, The Immigrant Institute, Borås
Joanna Castro, Information Officer at Zenit, Stockholm.
Luis Adolfo Conde Costas, Sociologist.
Carlos Díaz, The Swedish Federation for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Rights, Stockholm.
Juan Fonseca, former M.P. for Social Democracy and director, Diskrimineringsbyrån, Stockholm.
Karla López, former M.P. for the Green Party.
Tigran Feiler, colombianatverket.se
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Press
Carlos Motta på Konsthall C, Stockholm, Dagens Nyheter, February 20, 2009 by Milou Allerholm
Demokrati på riktigt, Svenska Dagbladet, February 20, 2009
Mörk bild av den svenska modellen, Aftonbladet, January 27, 2009 by Petter Lindgren
Närkemp med demokratin, Pastan.nu, January 22 by Calle Paulia
Carlos Motta undersöker den svenska demokratin, kulturstan.se, January 28, 2009
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Credits
The Immigrant Files: Democracy is Not Dead; It Just Smells Funny was produced with the support of IASPIS and the Swedish Arts Council, in collaboration with Bokförlaget Atlas. It is part of the program of Konsthall C, which focuses on the Swedish welfare state and how it is changing.