Wonderland, 2016

During the Kortrijk Triennial, he is presenting his video Wonderland in the northern Broel Tower. Wonderland is a moving portrait of 13-year-old Muhammed, who was born deaf. Muhammed uses expressive hand gestures to recount how he and his family had to flee war violence. Even though he doesn't talk, his striking communication is universal and creates an intense confrontation with the horrors of war. As a resident of the border region with Syria, Erkan Özgen is confronted daily with victims of the Syrian war. He organises emergency relief and gets in touch with the family of the boys whose village was taken by ISIS in 2014. The artist hopes that the story Muhammed brings in silence inspires visitors to raise their voices against war and other forms of violence. The visual language Özgen uses in his videos makes the impact of violence and trauma on people almost palpable. His work underlines that spoken and written language alone is often not enough to understand the consequences of war. Wonderland's anti-war message is a powerful reminder of the ongoing conflict in Syria and the region, but it also explores the possibilities of visual language to speak about war and violence. The video was made with the full cooperation of Muhammed and his parents. Part of the revenue from its sale is going towards Muhammed's medical expenses. It is no coincidence that this work is being shown in the historic Broel Tower. This tower was erected as an armoury in the 15th century. The walls are a silent witness to the city's military past and provide the perfect setting for an in-depth reflection on the use of weapons and the violence of war.