Bio:
**Rim Hermessi is an engineer and a multidisciplinary artist whose focus lies in the realm of analog technologies. With a background in life sciences through a bachelor's degree in Industrial Biology Engineering from the National Institute of Applied Sciences and Technology of Tunis (INSAT) and a research Thesis at Concordia University Canada, she focuses on sustainability and renewable energies, showcasing a couple of awards in scientific innovation (i.e. Mitacs Globalink Award 2022 , Falling Walls Tunisia Award 2021) and a track record in climate activism.
Harmessi’s artistic expression encompasses photography and collage in addition to creative writing and research as complementary tools of expression. Her work explores the intersection of art, science, and social issues giving prominence to themes such as femininity, displacement, and post-coloniality **
Odyssey of oblivion :
Odyssey of oblivion is a photographic exploration of the profound impact of migration on women, captured through the lens of an illegal journey towards Europe originating from the Kerkennah islands in Tunisia.
Employing analog photography and experimental processing techniques, the exhibition delves into the complexities of displacement, loss, belonging and the erosion of identity. By focusing on the physical and emotional phases, it aims to challenge traditional representations of migration and offer a nuanced perspective on the perils of this modern day odyssey. The project ,therefore, seeks to foster understanding for the challenges faced by illegal migrants, inviting viewers to contemplate the profound human costs. Ultimately, it examines the interruptions in the journey that contribute to the erosion of all that is ,at once, idiosyncratic and common to these women crossing the Mediterranean for a safer future.
Pictures are mainly shot in Kerkennah islands using analog 35 mm film (color and black & white) . Through four thematic sections, the exhibition traces the migrant's journey in a linear fashion : from the rootedness of the Kerkennah Islands, to the perilous crossing of the Mediterranean, the liminal spaces of transition, and finally, the complexities of life in a new land, or the lack thereof. The use of analog evokes a sense of fading out and discontinuity, while film processing creates a visual representation of absence as a spatio-temporal entity.
Beyond the visual narrative, the project incorporates collage pieces and textual footnotes, adding layers of meaning and context. By combining these elements, Odyssey of Oblivion aims to raise awareness through centering the voices and experiences of marginalized women whose identities are reduced to the ‘migrant personna’ and declare the fluid border of the mediterranean as a sea of absence.
Contact: rim.harmessi@insat.ucar.tn
Artworks
