Half Life is an interactive installation at Radiant Gallery, Plymouth continuing until 17th Nov 2018. I have been invigilating in this thought-provoking, evocative space.

A museum at the end of time, the remains of our beautiful world.

A carousel. A field of flowers.

But the cruel wind blows.

As you ride the carousel, haunting music plays and then you become aware of voices of refugees who are telling of their experiences, interrupted by a recitation of the international rules and regulations relating to children in war zones…

The motion disorientates and confuses…

A clown greets visitors and encourages you to ride the unicorn, then makes you candy floss and tells you about the refugees…

350 refugees arrived in Plymouth last year from war torn parts of the world. Whilst waiting for their application for asylum to be processed they are not allowed to work or study, they are allocated furnished accommodation but have to live on £35 per week. They are often verbally abused and sometimes physically attacked. They live in limbo: a Half Life.

The 350 dandelion ‘clocks’ reflect the number of refugees…

After experiencing the museum, visitors are requested to complete an ‘autopsy’, reflecting on their time in this strange other-world…