Derrida’s ambivalent use of the French word »hôte«, meaning »host«, but also »guest«, is a conceptual starting point for the creation of textile products and bags under the brand Hôte, part of an emerging ethical brand. Thus, Hôte bags are not simply the final goals or the end product of the bigger Akupara project, which featured various creators making and designing bags with immigrants and refugees. The aim of the project is to establish a common space between »hosts« and »guests«, an intersection of experiences, practices and skills of both »hosts« and »guests«, while developing an ethical and »zero waste« brand which could be used by refugees and migrants to express their creativity and thus enter the labour market themselves.

The installation Emotional Landscapes is also part of the larger project, Akupara: The Incubator of Handicrafts, Social Cooperatives and Cultural Productions for immigrants and refugees, run by the Terra Vera Association from Kostanjevica na Krki in collaboration with partners: Association Nagib, CAAP and The Space In Between.