Birth, death and the journey in between are the starting points for this interactive artwork that celebrates life and acknowledges its ending. Taking the form of a traditional arrivals and departures board, the installation by the artist duo YARA + DAVINA displays names submitted by members of the public as a way of celebrating and commemorating a birth (an arrival) or a death (a departure). The boards capture the joy and sadness of any arrivals hall or departure lounge, and provide a very timely platform to welcome new life, honour the living and recognise death, loss and collective grief, through the act of naming.
Visitors and passers-by can contribute names by asking a guide at the site in Pavilion Gardens or via www.arrivalsanddepartures.net on a phone/laptop anywhere in the world. Integral to the work is a specially designed programme of events, talks and workshops which invites the public to engage more deeply with the themes, including Birth Café, Death Café, and a panel discussion on the subject of redefining grief.
