What is Migration?

Immigration is a thorny subject pretty much everywhere in the developed world. Everyone has an opinion about it and sometimes normally level headed people can get so fired up about the topic of migration and immigration that they seem to become another person entirely! It has to be said, that the subject does have enormous and far-reaching consequences.

Fear of migration and immigration has helped far right wing political parties gain popularity and moderate governments have changed policies to fit in with this – both Europe and the United States have an increasingly isolationist policy towards migrants.

Yet what exactly is migration? What causes migration – and what precisely are the problems (not to mention the benefits) of migration and immigration? This fascinating animated video in the WissensWerte series deals with this hot topic and offers a measured and pragmatic definition and explanation.

Tracey Emin Installs Neon Sign in Downing Street‎

Oh dear. It seems the UK Prime Minister David Cameron requested a Tracey Emin work to be installed at 10 Downing Street.  The piece, entitled More Passion has now, apparently, been put in to place so it can be adored by passing Ministers and civil servants.

The startlingly unoriginal piece (seen left) was chosen by the artist so that visiting heads of state could see something a little cutting edge from the British art world.  More Passion is valued at around the US$500K mark so could perhaps be described as mainstream art, rather than something at the so called cutting edge. Mind you, that's not a bad price for a two word neon sign.

Emin is a well known supporter of the Conservative Party. She told the BBC in May: "Remember, Tory people are massive collectors of the arts. For a lot of my friends, who think I'm crazy voting for the Tories - I want to know who buys their work? Who are the biggest philanthropists? I promise you, it's not Labour voters."

Strange how you can go off people. Well, Tracey - they are customers and although the customer may always be right, you don't have to vote for them.  Besides, which party is known for cutting arts funding for everyday people even if its members do buy the work of overrated handicrafters?  A little selfish, Tracey. Your lights may be on in Downing Street but shamefully not between your ears. Oh and last time I looked the definition of the word philanthropist was a person who seeks to promote the welfare of others, especially by the generous donation of money to good causes. Unless you count youself as the good cause we must be living on different planets.

Sigh. It could have been worse.  She might have chosen her unfinished bed piece from around a decade ago with which to decorate the corridor of No 10.

Thanks to regular Kuriositas contributor Ssoosay for his take on the whole affair.

A Short Message from David Cameron

Victory of the Sheep

With events in North Africa and the Middle East seeming to spiral out of control it is worth taking a minute to reflect that only a couple of decades ago Eastern Europe was going through the throws of unburdening itself of a political system that had long outstayed it welcome or indeed its usefulness.


This short animation was commissioned by Antena 3 Television in Romania – who wanted to draw the attention of the populace to the dormant totalitarian influences still at large in the country.  Not only that it seeks to highlight the humiliating nature of the relationship between government and the working classes twenty years after the fall of communism in the country.

It does go to show that when a country like Romania becomes a democracy, the fight is not over – in fact it will carry on for tens of years.  A country does not wake up overnight able to completely change its regime and cast off the old in to the shadows forever.  This is something that the people of Egypt and others in the area will have to come to terms with very shortly.  The battle is won but the war is not over.

The software used included 3Ds Max, After Effects, Photoshop and the project was completed in 17 days including render times. The second in the series, below, warns the people of Romania to vote carefully, responsibly and to be aware of possible electoral fraud and political corruption.