Van Abbemuseum, Eindhoven

Photo Marcel de Buck

We were invited to install the Living Room at the Van Abbemuseum for the exhibition Position 4. While I was waiting to meet with someone from administration, I met Shafiq Kakar, an Afghani man who works in the museum as a guard. He introduced himself to me, and as soon as I began telling him about the Living Room, he instantly understood the project. I told him that the only condition for this project to exist was for a host to come forward, and he replied, with no hesitation: “I’m the host.” Shafiq became the host, but he also invited members from the local community of rejected asylum seekers to be hosts. They came only two at a time, as they had already built up a strong sense of solidarity and did not want to end up just socializing amongst themselves. We placed the Living Room at the entrance of the museum, which offered them the opportunity to meet people with whom they would not ordinarily have come into contact as equals.

Photo Peter Cox

Photo Marcel de Buck

Photo Peter Cox

Conversation between Sandi Hilal and Charles Esche about the Living room at the Vanabbe museum at Iaspis on September 4, 2019