Arrivals + Departures
YARA + DAVINA
Arrivals + Departures is a public artwork by artist duo YARA + DAVINA about birth, death and the journey in between
Following its world premiere at London’s Somerset House in autumn 2020, and subsequent presentations in New York, Zurich and across the UK in 2021, Arrivals + Departures continues to connect with new contexts in 2022.
This large-scale public art installation pays tribute to people, both entering the world and leaving it. The work takes the recognisable form of a train station arrivals and departures board that displays names submitted by the public to celebrate a birth (arrivals), honour someone living, or commemorate a death (departures).
Created by British social practice artist duo Yara El-Sherbini and Davina Drummond, ARRIVALS + DEPARTURES offers a timely platform to engage with the effects of Covid-19 and the continuing racial and social injustice within our communities.
Through this political act of naming, the interactive installation offers the opportunity to explore issues around birth, life, death, loss and collective grief; and to question and change who is honoured through public statues and memorials.
So far over 2,500 names of those who have arrived or departed (born or died) have been submitted by the public to the boards with an additional 1,000 related stories shared on the website: www.arrivalsanddepartures.net
Alongside each presentation, YARA + DAVINA develop a bespoke series of related events, talks, workshops and interventions, which explore issues associated with commemorating new life, honouring the living, acknowledging our own mortality, bringing attention to death, and tending to grief and loss – subjects that need to be spoken about more to help us live well.
“In a world where visiting others is severely limited this a beautiful gesture to celebrate and commemorate others while remaining socially distant”
The Londonist