По повод международния ден на Черно море 31 октомври доброволците по програма Европейски корпус за солидарност подготвиха скулптори и пърформънси, интервюта и невероятните митологични истории сътворени от доброволците за Русалките!

Защо изчезнаха русалките и какво ни носи морето е темата на доброволците по програма „Европейски корпус за солидарност“ от фондация „Астика“ и „Асоциацията за стратегическо управление Делфи“. По повод международния ден на Черно море 18 младежи-доброволци от България, Турция и Украйна създадоха атрактивни арт-инстации и сътвориха пърформанс с внимание, и грижа за опазването на Черно море. Инсталация на русалка в нейната трансформация от красиво тяло към пропито с отпадъци от морето и едра риба погълнала пластмасови бутилки, алуминиеви кенчета и торбички. 

В горещия есенен ден десетки любители на морето откриха на брега изхвърлени на брега четири мъртви русалки със собствени истории за своята гибел, записани на хартия.

Инициативата „Защо изчезнаха русалките“ е част от фестивалната програма на фондация „Астика“ – фестивал за младежки улични изкуства „Carrousel” и еко – фестивала на листата в Бургас.

Depicting Dead Mermaid Figures on the Black Sea Coasts
The new theme for the European Volunteering project jointly run by the Astika and Delphi Foundations in Bulgaria was the Black Sea coasts. Over the course of each month, they worked on creating a calendar highlighting the Black Sea Festival for important and special occasions. The volunteers also explored the issue of pollution along the Black Sea coasts and its impact on the loss of marine life. They identified the root cause of these problems as unconscious consumption and waste generated by people and aimed to draw attention to this.
After brainstorming on the topic, volunteers collected materials to bring their project to life. To underscore the significance and importance of the issue, participants crafted figurines using waste materials. Volunteers donned outfits and makeup reminiscent of mermaids to create figures of dead mermaids washed ashore.
One Turkish volunteer posed a thought-provoking question, ‘What are we missing in the seas that we don’t know and haven’t seen yet due to the pollution on the Black Sea coasts?’ This question led to the formation of an organization. In this initiative, they explored the existence of ‘mermaids,’ a mythical and mysterious aspect. As ideas took shape, volunteers constructed a mermaid using discarded materials. One side of the mermaid was covered with trash to symbolize the damage caused by human activities, leading to the death of marine life. On the other side, the mermaid was adorned with flowers and seashells to represent the untouched natural beauty.
To explain the cause of death for these mermaids, stories were placed on canvases, narrated by volunteers in three languages – Bulgarian, English, and Turkish. The volunteers also reenacted the stranded mermaids’ state of death. Four mermaids were buried in the sand to create the illusion of them being washed ashore. Among these mermaids, there was one male mermaid, for which a Turkish volunteer took on the role. The project, carried out on Burgas beach, was accompanied by a soft, melancholic guitar soundtrack.
The event attracted the interest of local beachgoers, who took photos with the figures and mermaids. The volunteers expressed their commitment to continue organizing such projects and activities to raise awareness and have already started working on their next projects.“

Текст: BETÜL UZUN