Exhibition "Still Standing" shows how innovative science communication succeeds
The focus is on the experiences of refugees and seafarers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
How did refugees who were housed in collection centres and people who worked at sea experience the COVID-19 pandemic? This question is addressed in the exhibition "Standing Still" - a joint project by the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and Witten/Herdecke University (Chair of Health Care Research). The exhibition impressively demonstrates how science communication can be designed innovatively and how abstract research results can be brought closer to society.
On the one hand, the researchers investigated in the research project “Stuck in mobility” the living conditions of refugees in initial reception centres, where inhumane conditions often prevail, especially during the pandemic. On the other hand, they examined the experiences of seafarers who had to live on ships without shore leave for months during the lockdown.
They have translated their research findings into an experiential space: chats, sounds, spatial confinement and materials reminiscent of life on board or in the reception centres make it possible to experience the realities of life for refugees and seafarers during the pandemic. The roaring ship's engine, the babble of voices in different languages, the floor swaying underfoot or the exhibition walls that look like a tunnel - these simulations allow visitors to the exhibition to take on the perspectives of those affected.
The aim of the exhibition is to raise awareness of these two groups that are underrepresented in society. After all, pandemics will probably continue to be an issue in the future, accommodation for refugees will remain important institutions and shipping will keep global logistics running.
The exhibition, sponsored by the Volkswagen Foundation, opened at the Stadtmuseum Halle an der Saale on 22 March 2025, where it will remain on display until the end of May. It will then travel to Bremerhaven to the German Maritime Museum; a stop in Witten is also planned in the future.