What happens when tragedy and daily life intertwine? When chaos blurs the boundaries of time? What if tragedy becomes ordinary, and ordinary life is always marked by its presence?

IF THIS BOAT COULD SPEAK is an art installation at Lost Farm Festival by MoChara / Refugee Rescue Art Collective, a collaboration between Refugee Rescue and volunteer artists and filmmakers. It tells the story of MoChara, a vital rescue vessel in the ongoing humanitarian efforts in the Mediterranean Sea.

The installation resists conventional storytelling, challenging and deconstructing narrative and letting viewers engage with the multiple elements of rescue operations simultaneously. It reflects the complexity of crises, where multiple truths exist, and life moves forward despite unimaginable loss and hardship.

Lostfarmers are invited to navigate the space without a set path, choosing how to engage with the story. Each can form their own narrative by interacting with fragments of the installation, acknowledging that processing humanitarian crises and tragedy is a personal journey.

The mixed media installation allows visitors to become part of MoChara's ongoing story, drawing on their own connections and leaving with a unique understanding shaped by their personal experience. Together, we amplify MoChara’s legacy as a vessel for understanding and action.

Refugee Rescue, a charitable NGO based in the North of Ireland, it has operated since 2015, rescuing over 25,000 lives from treacherous waters. The art installation marks a decade of dedication, showcasing the profound impact MoChara has had, not only on those rescued, but also on the people volunteering and the global fight for human rights. 

Mochara / Refugee Rescue Art Collective is a diverse group of creative individuals – artists, musicians, videomakers, curators and cultural changemakers – united by a shared mission:  to carry MoChara’s humanitarian purpose forward. MoChara is a rescue boat that has been rescuing lives in the Mediterranean for ten years. MoChara is more than a vessel – it embodies the most fundamental expression of humanity. 

Mochara / Refugee Rescue Art Collective at Lost Farm Festival is supported by the New Carlsberg Foundation.