Daniel Djamo - Changing the flag from djamo on Vimeo.
changing the flag / 2014
Belgium is for many years one of Europe's favourite destinations for Eastern-European and non-European immigrants alike. After 1990, huge migrational waves hit its shores. There are numerous Moroccons, Turks, Poles, Algerians, Congolese and Indians.
Liege, one of the country's largest cities, recently became a destination for a new minority. Although present from before in small numbers, Gypsies (or Roma) came more and more after Romania's integration within the EU in 2007.
When France put into action its deportation policies regarding Romanians, a rather irational and bohemian decision (as were the ones targeted) that followed the illegal activities of many beggars, thieves, con men and prostitutes, Liege became an appealing promised land for the refused.
From 2009 onwards many Romanians and Gypsies came here, in the hope of making ends meet abroad. They became predominant in some neighbourhoods.
During my residency at RAVI, in Liege, from October 2014 until January 2015, I was offered an apartment in an area with many Romanians and Roma, in Place Vivegnis (in the North of the city).
Through the action, I transformed the Belgian flag into the Romanian one, in Place Vivegnis.
As materials I used a foam broom (the international symbol of the working class) as flagpole and Electric Blue gloss paint.
performed alongside Tatevik Sahakyan, on October 24th, 2014