Sonia Barrett

“The Trapani Series was borne out encounters with people in Trapani a small coastal town in Sicily, these migrants had recently left their homes and achieved the sea crossing from Africa to Europe in unseaworthy vessels. It is also borne out of contact with the regional fishermen who shared their stories, and gave me some of the parts of the sculptures. Being taken for a new migrant with this sea crossing history myself also informed the making. These pieces were created in conjunction with human rights organisation Borderline Europe and the Magazzini dell’Arte Contemporanea. Much of the series is made out found furniture in Sicily excavated from the municipal waste. Parts are remnants of 18th century furniture made of tropical hardwoods. In this way I hope to weave together histories of sea transport, objectification, commodification and displacement. The use of furniture situates these stories as a intervention in the daily practice of sitting and eating in western furnished environments.”

Sonia is of German and Jamaican parentage, she was raised in three countries whilst her father was engaged in conflicts in China, Cyprus, and Zimbabwe before settling in England. A graduate of St Andrews University where she studied Philosophy, Literature and International Relations and the Transart Institute where she completed her (MFA) in Studio Practice. Sonia is a MacDowell fellow has won the Premio Ora award and was selected for the NY Artslant Showcase in the category of sculpture, She was a finalist in the Craft Emergency Award and the has been shown in Basel, London, Milan, Barbados, Berlin and London. She works and lives in Germany.

www.sebarrett.net