From Familiarization to De-familiarization
Defamiliarization
[ dee-fuh-mil-yer-uh-zey-shuhn ]
noun
“A theory and technique, originating in the early 20th century Art and Literature, in which an artistic or literary work presents familiar objects or situations in an unfamiliar way, prolonging the perceptive process and allowing for a fresh perspective.
The concept of defamiliarization, introduced by Russian literary critic Viktor Shklovsky in 1917, reveals how habitual perception can dull our awareness of the world around us. When we encounter something repeatedly, we often stop truly seeing it. Defamiliarization disrupts this pattern, urging us to experience the familiar as if for the first time.
This body of work represents a personal engagement with defamiliarization, and more specifically, the parallel process of refamiliarization - a return to recognition, but through a transformed perspective. At its core, it reflects my evolving relationship with the deeply complex narratives of displacement and migration. Through this lens, I explore how my own understanding of these themes has shifted—first through estrangement, and then through a deliberate reconnection.
Using found imagery sourced from mainstream media coverage of migrants, refugees, and the role of artificial intelligence, I investigate how prevailing representations can distort public perception. These images often reinforce reductive, dehumanizing stereotypes, shaping narratives that are both damaging and incomplete. This work questions the authority of these representations and calls for a more nuanced, empathetic, and critically engaged way of seeing.
In reframing these familiar images, I invite viewers to confront their assumptions and to recognize the urgency of rethinking the narratives that dominate public discourse about migration. The goal is not only to challenge what we see, but to consider how, and why, we see it the way we do. Through defamiliarization, I hope to open space for new ways of seeing - and ultimately, for deeper understanding.