--- title: "The emotional impact of emigration, through the eyes of an artist" description: "Emigration outcomes are often depicted as fairy-tale endings, with successful emigrants thriving in their new country, rarely looking back with regret. Yet in the work of migrant French sculptor Bruno Catalano it is depicted as an intimate and much fuller journey, encapsulating the highs and lows that come with it." type: "NewsArticle" publisher: "Daily Maverick" site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za" section: "LIVES IN TRANSIT OP-ED" author: "Sulette Ferreira" author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/sulette-ferreira-2/" canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2023-03-20-the-emotional-impact-of-emigration-through-the-eyes-of-an-artist/" published: "2023-03-20T12:00:56" updated: "2023-03-20T02:25:27" lang: "en-ZA" word_count: 740 --- # The emotional impact of emigration, through the eyes of an artist > Emigration outcomes are often depicted as fairy-tale endings, with successful emigrants thriving in their new country, rarely looking back with regret. Yet in the work of migrant French sculptor Bruno Catalano it is depicted as an intimate and much fuller journey, encapsulating the highs and lows that come with it. By Sulette Ferreira · Published 20 March 2023, 14:00 SAST · Updated 20 March 2023, 04:25 SAST ## Key points - Emigration is a complex phenomenon, and art can help us explore its emotional depths. French sculptor Bruno Catalano's work captures the journey of the modern-day soul by depicting hollow, yet balanced figures carrying suitcases filled with memories and experiences - “our roots in motion”. - Emigration presents a dualism of outer circumstances and inner thoughts and emotions. - French sculptor Bruno Catalano's art explores the themes of travel, journeying and migration. - His sculptures depict the story of modern-day soul, the traveller and the emigrant, with large portions of their bodies missing. - Art can complement conversation during therapy, as both artist and audience exhibit emotional vulnerability. ## Content As an emigration therapist, I have the privilege to explore the world of emigration through the eyes of my clients. Everyone’s experience is unique. Emigrants venture into a new, unknown world: they leave the familiar to start afresh amid new cultures and environments. Some recall a profound sense of being emotionally uprooted, others fully embrace the opportunities presented and continue to thrive. Yet, some experience both. #### Art and the world citizen We live simultaneously in two worlds: the outer world of experiences, circumstances and situations, and the inner world of reactions, [emotions and thought](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/180089.Mind_Power_Into_the_21st_Century).Emigration presents this same dualism: in our outer world of circumstances and situations we or a loved one emigrates and we react to that experience in our inner world of thoughts and emotions. Inmy encounter with the art of French sculptor [Bruno Catalano](https://brunocatalano.com/sculpture-bronze/bruno-catalano-a-propos.php) I found that art presents this same dualism and can therefore help us in exploring the depth and complexity of this phenomenon. Through his art, he delves into the universal themes of travel,journeying and migration. In 2013, Catalano created 10 life-size bronze sculptures which were displayed along the waterfront of Marseille to commemorate the city’s status as the European Capital of Culture. [Aptly titled *Les Voyageurs*](https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/sculptures-of-bruno-catalano/), the sculptures, the most famous of which is now on permanentdisplay in Calgary, Canada, depict 10 different travellers with large portions of their bodies missing, each carrying a suitcase. Stunningly imperfect, these “hollow” figures resonate the story of the modern-day soul, the traveller and the emigrant. Despite their bodies being opento the wind and light, each retains its balance and coherence. ![Arachon sculpture by Bruno Catalano. Image: Flickr](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/5WXLbgVHw7ZcZs_egch5K6YY-2k=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Angele-for-FLICKR-51515938769_8c28083316_k.jpeg) *Arachon sculpture by Bruno Catalano. Image: Flickr* ![Sculpture by Bruno Catalano. Image: Angele / Flickr](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/quSfNj_kqh9_bx-AyIbOusfOykk=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Angele-for-FLICKR-51706994412_5a858e4ed3_k.jpeg) *Sculpture by Bruno Catalano. Image: Angele / Flickr* ![Sculpture by Bruno Catalano. Image: Pop H / Flickr](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/c8F-ZuwvQvsktWsyIEuEwz5IMFY=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Bruno-Catalano-LES-VOYAGEURS-Flickr-45552999232_a2b34b91b8_k.jpeg) *Sculpture by Bruno Catalano. Image: Pop H / Flickr* ![Sculpture by Bruno Catalano. Image: Jeanne Menjoulet / Flickr](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/5yLV1hNd-mFgbqBRqzYu-3nyzjI=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Jeanne-Menjoulet-FLICKR-50458996051_293ad30e66_k.jpeg) *Sculpture by Bruno Catalano. Image: Jeanne Menjoulet / Flickr* ![Sculpture by Bruno Catalano. Image: Jeanne Menjoulet / Flickr](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/6kv4WsJflRZkwgoKXpl4I2fhPXw=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Jeanne-Menjoulet-for-FLICKR-10775430235_2a43b32132_k.jpeg) *Sculpture by Bruno Catalano. Image: Jeanne Menjoulet / Flickr* Catalano, an emigrant himself, was born in Casablanca, Morocco, and moved to France to settle inMarseille at the age of 12. He went on to become a sailor and considers himself an eternal migrant. Catalano was always in the process of leaving: “far from my roots, wanting toleave, curious to look elsewhere, to see what happens”; a nomad who does not belong to any one place. To him, thesesculptures represent the world citizen. To Catalano, migration is an intimatejourney. While each of these statues carries a single suitcase that weighs them down, these suitcases also serve astheir only means of support. The suitcase represents experiences and desires; a container filled withmemories that grounds the emigrant and provides support. Catalano refers to this as “roots inmotion”. #### Art and the emigration therapist Emigration outcomes are often depicted as fairy-tale endings, with successfulemigrants thriving in their new country, rarely looking back with regret. However, the reality shared withthe emigration therapist is often the contrary, often relating the challenges experienced, the sadness and loss of all that was knownand loved. This is strikingly expressed in the missing parts of the statues by Catalano.The large missing parts in the statuesentices the viewer’s imagination. ![Sculpture by Bruno Catalano. Image: Geraldine Deveau / Flickr](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/cRbNMFgOOcMvtS4CacntvbhrETU=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Geraldine-Deveau-FLICKR-29650368307_1a774ea565_k.jpeg) *Sculpture by Bruno Catalano. Image: Geraldine Deveau / Flickr* ![Sculpture by Bruno Catalano. Image: Yvette Gauthier / Flickr](https://cdn.dailymaverick.co.za/i/ctzUajuNWFscacD0HfbSJ4utMtM=/200x100/smart/filters:strip_exif\(\)/file/dailymaverick/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/Yvette-Gauthier-for-FLICKR-28298944387_bacce241c7_k.jpeg) *Sculpture by Bruno Catalano. Image: Yvette Gauthier / Flickr* As an emigration therapist, I was encouraged by Catalano’s art to re-examine my thinking and approachtowards emigration. In every person’s life, there are incomplete experiences, missing pieces of a larger puzzle. Catalano’s art speaks to this reality through the missing parts of the statues. Art can complement the conversation during therapy, as both theartist and the audience exhibit some level of emotional vulnerability. *Read more in*Maverick Life:*“*[*Barca Nostra and migrant deaths at sea — when art shames reality*](https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2019-05-11-barca-nostra-and-migrant-deaths-at-sea-when-art-shames-reality/)*”* We are all nomads on the journey of life. We have all experienced the excitement of the new,and the sorrow of the loss of what we have left behind. Emigration leaves one feeling ungrounded,floating and uncertain about the future. While the journey is difficult, we find the strength to carry on by embracing our experiences and desires, “our roots in motion”. Catalano’s “in transit” bronze sculptures resonate with many, capturing the essence of the emotional impact of emigration. **DM/ML** S*ulette Ferreira is a social science researcher and family counselling therapist in private practice. Her research interest feeds into her practice, in which she specialises in the emotional impact of emigration.* [*www.drsulette.com*](http://www.drsulette.com)*/*[*www.instagram.com/drsulette*](http://www.instagram.com/drsulette)