No Stopping No Standing / 2020

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No Stopping No Standing - ممنوع الوقوف والتوقف. 

 

40cm x 60cm - Aluminum embossed sheet 

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"On a summer day in 2015 when I was doing an art residency in Vienna, Austria, I met at the train station a young guy. His age probably around 20, he came alone across the sea from turkey to Europe-Greece. He continued walking through Hungary to Austria on the highway with hundreds of people who escaped the war and who were seeking a new life, a safe life for them, their families, and children. 

This young guy told me when he was walking from Hungary to Austria; whenever he sees the traffic sign (NO STOPPING-NO STANDING, ممنوع الوقوف والتوقف), he feels it made for him to not stop and keep continue. Like a car, he is not allowed to stop or stay in that area. 

 

This sign can have two different interpretations, either it means we don’t want you to stay here and just leave this area, or it can have a positive message to push you to continue to reach your goals and dreams.

 

Today I have no idea what happened to that young guy, but he told me he would continue his journey to Germany or Sweden to start his new life. I hope he found a new safe life. 

But I feel today I am in need to remind myself of that sign to keep continue without stopping without standing in my new life and to reach all my dreams.

So wherever you are, either you are an immigrate, a newcomer, or someone who still lives in his country, just keep going to achieve your dreams and never give up"

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