Thousand Island:
Insularity, Computation, and the Pink Paradox.

Myymälä2 | Helsinki | 2025 (upcoming)

In memory of Debra.

Thousand Island: Insularity, Computation, and the Pink Paradox, is an evocative exploration of migration, identity, and the fragile human condition. Drawing its title from the well-known pink dressing, the work juxtaposes trivial comforts against the profound struggles of those displaced by conflict. The dressing, used famously by McDonald's as the Secret Sauce in the Big Mac, ties into the 'Big Mac Index'—an informal measure of purchasing power parity between nations introduced by The Economist in 1986. Originally intended as a humorous tool, the index has gained recognition and is now featured in academic contexts, revealing disparities across the globe. For instance, in July 2023, the Big Mac Index showed a value of 5.10 Venezuelan bolívars in Venezuela, $5.58 in the U.S., and 6.70 Swiss francs in Switzerland, reflecting significant variations in purchasing power parity and currency valuation. These disparities, highlighted by the Big Mac Index, underscore how economic inequalities can drive migration, with individuals seeking better opportunities in response to unequal living conditions. The pink hue of the dressing symbolises here the hope migrants carry—akin to the desire for Bread and Roses—aspiring not just for survival but also for dignity and a better quality of life. The Pink Paradox is that hundreds of thousands of migrants spend their lives either making or delivering a Big Mac. McDonald's serves approximately 1.5 million Big Macs each day worldwide.

The accidental use of the singular 'island' is a happy provocation, pushing viewers to question why it isn't plural—why Thousand Island instead of Thousand Islands? This choice mirrors a degree of ignorance often present in discussions of migration and reflects the pervasive bigotry of our times, including far-right and actual nationalist ideologies. The exhibition aims to capture the traits of our time with an almost archaeological intent—the internet is written in ink.

On the form, Thousand Island contemplates the sea as both a dreamscape and a nightmare—a universe of beauty and profound suffering. The islands of Lampedusa and locations in Greece symbolise the migrant crisis, where perilous crossings are a harsh reality for countless individuals and families. The tragic 2013 shipwreck near Lampedusa, which claimed over 300 lives, serves as a stark reminder of the human cost of migration, driven by both armed and economic wars.

The artwork employs computational aesthetics to present islands intentionally separated, reflecting the tension between isolation and interconnectedness. This deliberate distancing embodies the paradox of our hyper-connected yet deeply fragmented modern existence. Gilles Deleuze's reflections on islands as microcosms resonate somehow here, presenting each island as a manifestation of both solitude and community—a testament to the complex nature of belonging.

The colour palette draws from NATO's camouflage colours (US Woodland, US Desert, Canada CADPAT, UK DPM, France CCE, Germany Flecktarn, Italy Vegetato, Spain-M03, Finland-M05) originally designed for concealment during conflict. This reference links many migration crises to both armed and economic wars, forcing individuals to seek refuge. The military aesthetics underscore the work's reflection on the nature of conflict—how mechanisms intended for concealment on the battlefield extend into the struggles of migration and identity. By incorporating these hues, the artwork ties the visual language of conflict with the human need to blend in or evade notice during crises. These hues evoke the experiences of marginalised individuals striving for invisibility amidst geopolitical unrest, much like soldiers in conflict zones. Camouflage becomes essential for survival—not only on the battlefield but also for refugees fleeing conflict in search of safety. Refugees seek to assimilate into new societies while evading hostile scrutiny, much like how camouflage serves as both a tool for evasion and a symbol of vulnerability in warfare. The paradox of camouflage is central to 'Thousand Island': the more we try to disappear, the more our histories and identities emerge. This tension between belonging and resistance, between concealment and visibility, invites viewers to reconsider their perspectives on inclusion, identity, and visibility.

The exhibition combines computational processes with analogue aerial photography, using Processing software to create dynamic camouflage patterns inspired by visual motifs from military contexts, including NATO—. Artificial intelligence played a crucial role in creating Thousand Island, helping to assemble fragmented elements and orchestrate the final compositions. The inclusion of the Ishihara pattern, alongside the challenge of arranging multiple circles within a larger form, added considerable complexity to the work. The Ishihara pattern—used to diagnose colour vision deficiencies—serves here as a metaphor for societal blindness to the struggles of marginalised groups. It pushes viewers to confront their own perceptual boundaries, emphasising the themes of visibility and invisibility.

Howard Zinn's philosophy on transcendence profoundly informs this work. In Artists in Times of War, Zinn asserts that true transcendence arises from asking the questions that power avoids. Thousand Island is not about dwelling in trauma or placing false hope; rather, it envisions what could be instead of simply accepting what is. The work embodies Zinn's challenge to defy dominant narratives, rejecting the inevitability of authority's assertions, such as "Therefore, we must bomb," and instead fostering relationships where they are often denied. It gestures towards transcendence by rejecting established illusions and envisioning new possibilities.

The use of synthetic canvas anchors the work in its nautical theme, evoking both physical and metaphorical journeys across the sea. Inspired by photointerpretation—a technique developed for wartime aerial reconnaissance—the project adopts a perspective that juxtaposes the detached, large-scale view of global indifference with the intimate, precarious journeys of individuals seeking survival. The algorithmically generated islands symbolise both beacons of refuge and the immense challenges faced along the journey. The dark, uncharted spaces between these islands evoke treacherous waters—arenas of tragedy, resilience, and courage. These abysses reflect the uncertainty and peril migrants face in their search for a better life, emblematic of the struggles, both seen and unseen, that occur within these vast expanses—spaces where survival is never guaranteed, and hope is often fragile.

Thousand Island magnifies its themes through the interplay of technology, colour, and geopolitical narratives. It encourages viewers to confront urgent questions of identity, belonging, and survival within shifting geopolitical landscapes. By exploring the sea as both a place of separation and connection, concealment and revelation, the exhibition invites viewers to reflect on their role within the complex dynamics of crisis and resilience in our world, empathy, and the unseen humanity beyond the visible.

To those lost at sea—peace.

—Moe Louanjli, Helsinki, 2024