2020 Statelessness & Citizenship Review 2(2) conceptualise statelessness from a sedentary view, which undermines and ignores stateless people’s perceptions and views. An Artistic Approach to Statelessness It is well recognised in academia that art is an important tool for challenging existing knowledge and creating new knowledge(s), although it is conceptually less focused. Alex Danchev and Debbie Lisle emphasised the importance of art in society. 56 They wrote, art matters, ethically and politically; affectively and intellectually. It is another way of apprehending the world. It has consequences. Not only does it make us feel, or feel differently, it also makes us think, and think again. 57 They call for a critical understanding and observation of art; ‘there must be a politics in our observation’. 58 On this, Harrington states, ‘[t]he knowledge art can convey about society is no substitute for the methodical knowledge of social science; but neither is it inferior or subordinate to the latter’. 59 Art and artistic approaches have gained particular acceptance and importance in the context of human rights issues. The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (‘FRA’) states: Much of the human rights agenda is directed at bridging attitudinal disparities, such as prejudices based on race, religion, gender, age, nationality, culture and identity. Art can help to overcome those barriers, by bringing a counter-discourse, contesting privileged narratives and perspectives. 60 FRA also recommended strengthening the connection between art and human rights as it can reinforce the message of the latter. In this regard, the report stated: The professional field of human rights can learn a lot from the field of arts. Emotions commonly drive decisions; yet, modern societies (wrongly) believe to be driven by rational thought and intellect. We do not only think, therefore we are, but we also feel, therefore we are. Indeed, perceptions (including love, hate, hope, forgiveness, horror and empathy) are more powerful than facts, especially when society’s acceptance of facts is rapidly fracturing. … Art can transcend barriers, such as politics and language. 61 The artistic approach to addressing statelessness employed by Creative Court and its partner organisation is also about showing stateless peoples’ conditions, perceptions and feelings. Nicoletta Enria suggests radical empathy for statelessness could be fostered through the utilisation of art. 62 According to Enria, in the case of statelessness, radical empathy would make audiences feel what it is like to be a stateless person. She states, 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 See Danchev and Lisle (n 7). ibid 775. ibid. Austin Harrington, Art and Social Theory: Sociological Argument in Aesthetics (Polity Press 2004) 4. Exploring the Connection between Arts and Human Rights: Report of High-Level Expert Meeting (Report, European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights 2017) 6 <https://fra.europa.eu/sites/default/files/fra_uploads/fra-2017_arts-and-human-rightsreport_may-2017_vienna.pdf>. ibid 11–12. Enria (n 7). 282