vacation vs immigration: designers fuse a refugee boat with an inflatable swan

created by avihai mizrahi and neil nenner, ‘black swan lifeboat’ brings attention to the vast numbers of people that risk their lives by traveling on rubber dinghys to cross the mediterranean sea. fusing the shape of a refugee boat with an inflatable swan, the piece questions whether we are truly aware of the extent of the immigration crisis. 

all images courtesy of avihai mizrahi and neil nenner

every summer hundreds of blow-up rubber rings and animals descend to mediterranean beaches. however, people may lose their favorite inflatables, swept away by winds or currents – never to be seen again. at the same time, rubber boats try to cross the sea from south to north, as their passengers flee from their collapsing lands.

the inflatable black swan represents this unique equation and contradiction. with its strange combination between a refugee boat and an inflatable animal, mizrahi and nenner asks if we are truly aware of the immigration crisis, or is it the black animal we prefer to ignore?

the project has been designed for ‘state of extremes’ – the 10th anniversary exhibition of design museum holon. curated by aric chen with maya dvash, chief curator of design museum holon, and azinta plantenga, the exhibit will be on display until may 9, 2020.

project info:

project name: black swan lifeboat

design: avihai mizrahi and neil nenner

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: lynne myers | designboom