The actual repressive migration policy of the EU is contrary to the founding principles of the Union: peace, democracy, solidarity, justice, respect for human rights and freedom of movement. It creates a stark divide between the rich who can move freely and the poor who are forced to remain in place.The series „Migration Standards“ deals with the migrants’ demand for recognition of their history, their role in society and social equality. The work shows children and teenagers portrayed in front of a background combining two different, but interrelated subjects. Thetext consists of excerpts from The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the “Democracy Not Integration” and “Ausschluss Basta!” formulations.
Borjana Ventzislavova was born in Sofia 1976, she received her MFA at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna 2005. She works in the fields of photography, film/video, new media, installation and performance art. Her work deals with issues such as identity, mobility, representation, migration, coexistence and impact analysis of political and social power structures and control systems on our existence. Borjana’s works have been shown in numerous international solo and group exhibitions, media art and film festivals, including: MAK Vienna, MAK LA, Museum of Modern Art in Salzburg and Carinthia, Esterházy Foundation, MUSA, Triennale Linz 1.0, Samlung Essl, ICA London, Transmediale in Berlin, Rencontres Internationales Paris/Berlin/Madrid, and the Moscow, Istanbul and Split International Film Festivals. Borjana received numerous grants and awards including the Austrian State Scholarship for Fine Art (2013), Otto Prutscher Fonds Award (2006) and the Top Ten Nonfiction Award at Cologne Conference (2006). Her works are part of private and public collections.