Biography
Edgelanders is a project by Ehsan Fardjadniya and Raul Balai. The project is based on the premise that Amsterdam is obligated to offer unconditional shelter to everyone, including undocumented migrants. The city promotes itself as a “safe haven” and has spoken out in support of international human rights.
The city should comply with the 2014 ruling of the European Court of Human Rights, which stipulates unconditional shelter for people in need. However, the reality is quite different: in practice, Amsterdam has so far been unable to fulfill its duty of care, despite promises from administrators over the past few years.
Edgelanders is working on a (self-organized) lawsuit against the city of Amsterdam in 2025, to hold the city accountable for its ethical reputation and legal obligations. Since 2023, they have been building in various “chapters” towards a public lawsuit against the city on October 27, 2025, when Amsterdam celebrates its 750th anniversary.
In the lead-up, they build evidence, hear witnesses, and gradually shape the case by combining various art disciplines. Through performances, installations, and films, they engage in exchanges with diverse stakeholders and city residents, including undocumented migrants, citizens, politicians, and organizations involved in this issue.
In residentie The Indictment – Les Citoyens Actifs
01.02.2025 – 01.02.2025
In Edgelanders: Amsterdam On Trial, artists Ehsan Fardjadniya and Raul Balai are working on a lawsuit against the city of Amsterdam. They demand that the city fulfill its ethical and legal obligations towards undocumented immigrants. The project, which culminates in a public trial at the end of October 2025 (when the city celebrates its 750th anniversary), is presented in several chapters.
The fifth chapter, The Indictment, is presented in several parts. In Les Citoyens Actifs, the artists present an interactive installation. Within the installation, experiences of undocumented immigrants are shared, and visitors are asked to actively participate in thinking about and writing the lawsuit.
Sails (often used as shelters) form the basis of an interactive installation in which the experiences of undocumented immigrants are shared—the uncertainty, the ignorance, but also the beautiful encounters and other experiences. The space is used dynamically and functions as an exhibition.
In the concluding event of chapter five: the theatrical symposium Le Colloque, all the collected testimonies and other insights will be brought together. During this symposium, the case will be developed for the public trial. This will take place in collaboration with lawyers, undocumented migrants, and the public.