Reciprocity and a Lighthouse

My computer is down, which means that when I can't get onto Lil's, I use her iPod Touch. Which means, funnily enough, that I do more reading from a screen than I normally would on a larger one; I tend to "bookmark for later" far more often on a larger screen. Anyhow, catching up with we make money not art today, I found two exciting/heart-warming/interesting things. Both were from write-ups of the 4th International Architecture Biennale in Rotterdam, which, a little frustratingly, has just finished.

(1) Was this:

"It is estimated that between half and 3/4ths of the economies in developing countries are based on reciprocity. Around 40% of the GNP is generated in shadow economies that rests on this practices of give and take. This kind of informal economy is not only often more important than the official economy, its importance will also increase dramatically in the coming years as the cities in poor countries undergo explosive population growth. Whether it entails physical goods or services, reciprocity often comes with an emotional, personal component."

I allowed myself to indulge in some utopian, ultra-naive thinking (which can be creative too) which linked the rise of "developing countries" (I hate that phrase so much! So many assumptions, what are they developing to?!) to this economy as a possible threat to capitalism. I allowed myself to imagine a world slowly moving over to a bartering system, everything done in kind. It reminded me of what Nick Currie was writing about recently.

(2) Was this heart-warming project from the same exhibition, but the Refuge section:

"Every year, some 20 000 refugees, mostly from Africa, try to reach Europe viaLampedusa, a tiny Italian island between Sicily and Tunisia. Aid organisations estimate that one in ten die during the dangerous crossing. Once they've set foot on 'the promised land', immigrants are directed to a 'Welcome Centre' which inadequacy is creating a worrying humanitarian situation.

Thomas Kilpper, along with a team of architects, engineers and local people, hope to build a lighthouse with a powerful beam that would provide orientation at sea and help reduce the danger to life. Furthermore, the ground floor of the lighthouse would host an arts center. The discussions, exhibitions, concerts and other cultural events organized there would attract both new visitors to the island and local people, giving them an opportunity and space to learn from and listen to each other.

This project underlines the need for a solution to the refugee problem: it's not possible to solve it via restrictions and declaring a 'state of emergency'. We call for a humanitarian and just immigration and integration policy in Europe. None of the refugees is illegal. We oppose any idea to establish a 'Fortress Europe'. The lighthouse will be a self-confident signal: 'here we are, we do not hide'."

I think this confident, positive, and crucially non-defensive valorisation of immigration is something we need far more of, and the fact that it's a lighthouse adds a wonderful sort of 'concrete symbolism' that makes the gesture more than a gesture, something brave and noble too.