"New life with Schengen" , by Erik Pevernagie (100 x 130 cm)

Why must we be freaking out about the kindness and sympathy we would like to share? What could deter us so much from opening our hearts and spilling the beans? Why should we harbor suspicions about the gentleness of people who are bubbling over with enthusiasm and goodwill? Could kindness generate such a thorny challenge in people's lives and make them feel so uncomfortable as if they were wobbling on thin ice, fearing losing balance and thus losing face?

When we cross borders, legally or illegally, the behavioral standards of many humans can change drastically. Very often, fear installs itself in the hearts of the people.

Newcomers may be afraid of being unable to adapt themselves or being accepted in their new surroundings. They may feel confronted with a world where poverty is a crime and where people who are yearning for some crumbs of affection can only dance on the brim of the volcano and wait for an eruption of compassion.

If migrants leave their country to become citizens of another country, they want to live in a safe place, long for economic prosperity, family re-unification. In the first place, they wish to escape from war, prejudice, ethnic conflicts, or natural disaster.

But whatever may be their disposition, many keep on living with the demon of fear. Albeit social security systems can be supportive, existential anxiety subsists, crushing their identity. Only by converting 'fear' into a challenge can they grit their teeth, strengthen resilience, and brighten up the dimness in their minds.

The captivating changes in the social space sealed by class transmigration may astound us. How clever class fugitives escape from their birth stigma or topic heritage and how they blend slickly into a new chosen communal grouping may look impressive to most observers. Class migration always remains a challenge, but once the outgoers are at the end of the road, they can tell their life stories of adventure, bravery, or hardship with self-esteem. How happy they are, and how good they feel when they can say with satisfaction that they have seen it all before closing brackets.

Since all internal borders have been abolished, immigrants in the European Schengen area have free movement of persons, and due to new immigration laws, they can enjoy legal support.

By many, illegal immigration is considered a danger for the country, and an open door for drugs, criminals, potential terrorists and is a burden for the healthcare and judicial system. About Mexican immigrants, Donald Trump has a harsh opinion: "They're sending people that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us....drugs... crime....rapists. Some, I assume, are good people." Hillary Clinton says: "I am, you know, adamantly against illegal immigration." and Ban Ki-moon states that "Strengthening customs and immigration systems is essential." Others prefer immigration to be encouraged because it generates prosperity. Madeleine Albright hopes for "comprehensive immigration legislation that allows the country to continue to be enriched by those who were not born here."

Phenomenon: Immigration, Schengen

Factual starting point of the picture: Woman entering Schengen area