Art of Dis-bordering: The Politics of Migration Murals in Europe

This article engages with art, bordering, and migration, arguing that artistic interventions present great potential for disrupting narratives about migrants' agency and life. This process of disconnecting migrants' identity from their univocal representation as a product of borders is articulated in the text by paying attention to art on public display as dis-bordering. By examining public expressions of resistance to borders in the form of mural paintings, it is argued that these artistic interruptions can implicate us in the process of rethinking different aspects of migration to Europe. In the concluding section, the article considers the political messages of the murals of my hometown, Orgosolo, a small museum-village in Sardinia. The internationalism and activism of mural art in the town will be explored by considering murals that deal with migrants' journeys and identity. Overall, the article seeks to encourage self-reflection about issues of migration and borders, re-imagining and contesting bordering through art.