How do you look..

Performance, 25 mins

E-Haus, Rundgang, HBKsaar, 2022

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As Russia pounds Ukraine with missiles and cluster bombs, causing a new influx of refugees on European borders, a new debate holding Western media accountable for displaying selective empathy is shaping up.

 

Many TV correspondents, have applied their racist lens to the crisis, describing the suffering of Ukrainian refugees as "different" from that of Arab, Asian or African refugees. On BBC News, Ukraine’s deputy chief prosecutor David Sakvarelidze explained being very emotional as he was seeing “European people with blue eyes and blonde hair being killed everyday”.

 

Selective empathy harms every refugee, white or otherwise

 

Selective empathy is dangerous because it enables otherisation and racism on the basis of skin colour, religion and ethnicity. Empathising with one group or cause and refusing that empathy to others has led to many atrocities in human history. 

 

 

Keep an eye on you, is a reminder, to watch our self carefully, which filters do we use in our lenses when we see ‘others’ and our selfs?