In this episode of Conversations with Aliens of Extraordinary Ability, Rodrigo Ghattas is joined by Tatiana Lozano and Mehdi Torkaman to talk about their immigration experiences in Norway: from visa triumphs to temporary expulsions and all along the support and solidarity they received from friends and institutions.

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[THE STORY]

This episode is the first in a 3-part series on Practices of Solidarity. Guest artists Mehdi Torkaman and Tatiana Lozano explore perspectives on organized solidarity actions and the complex issues at play when artists seek to permanently relocate to Norway. Mehdi had faced temporary expulsion by the immigration services in Norway, having to resettle in his country of origin, Iran. Tatiana, surprised with a 1-week permit after 7 years in Norway, had to leave the country for five days and come back as a tourist to pack her life.

Now we listen to their experiences as immigrant artists, sharing their routes back into Norway and their own strategies of immigration persistence. As well, we discuss how effective demonstrations are as political tools for change and their importance as solidarity devices within the arts. How we, as artists, might prepare collectively for the uncertainty of migration in the future, especially since the pandemic has fast-forwarded right-wing populist immigration politics in Norway and the rest of Europe.

The art communities in Oslo and Bergen were in solidarity with the artists through demonstrations, letters of support and care. Two years later, in 2020, Medhi was allowed to return to Norway; Tatiana, after a week in Zagreb, came back to pack her bags until she found out through our network a new possibility to stay. We listen to their experiences as immigrant artists, sharing their routes back into Norway and their own strategies of immigration persistence. As well, we discuss how effective demonstrations are as political tools for change and their importance as solidarity devices within the arts. How we, as artists, might prepare collectively for the uncertainty of migration in the future, especially since the pandemic has fast-forwarded right-wing populist immigration politics in Norway and the rest of Europe.