Othering

Evie Godfrey2023 Longlist, Opening Up

**Please run this work on a Laptop or a PC and adjust the screen to suit you!**
Othering” is a poignant narrative of irregular migration and the tragedy that unfolds in the Mediterranean Sea, juxtaposing the contrasting worlds of Morocco and Europe. Within this work, Benharrousse challenges the normalization of the countless deaths in this perilous journey, shedding light on the urgent need for change. As a Moroccan youth immersed in a society where discussions of ‘escaping’ Morocco are commonplace, he draws inspiration from personal experiences and the stories of those who embarked on this perilous voyage, only to meet an untimely demise. This pervasive yearning for a dream devoid of reality fuels his artistic exploration. The cyclical narrative structure echoes the repetitive and endless nature of the migratory process, leading to the inevitable demise of the migrants. Through carefully selected sounds and visuals, the poet invites readers to empathize with the harsh reality of smuggling and migration.