There Is No Place

There Is No Place by Jakkai Siributr at the Whitworth, Manchester.

There's No Place explores ideas of home and belonging and particularly, of not having a home. For the last five years, Siributr, a Thai artist, has worked with mostly young Shan refugees who have lived in the Koung Jour Shan Refugee Camp on the Thai Maynmar border. The project highlights the challenges faced by the participants who are not recognised by the Thai authorities. Siritbutr asks us to regard the individuals with empathy. 'They are just like any other kids. They have their phones and access to the internet. They have dreams and hopes. But because of being stateless, they won't have good prospects in life'.

As part of the on-going collaborative embroidery project, inhabitants at the camp have recorded their interests and experiences onto stitched embroidered story cloths. The artist then invites members of the public to respond by adding to the embroideries using black, white and grey yarn. These are incorporated into the installation, presenting a collaborative conversation expressed through stitch.