BEYOND BORDERS X SEVERINALE

September 20, 2026, from 12:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.: Artist-led tours

A SMALL WORLD ART & FASHION PROJECT - SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION

1 camera – 54 destinations – 5 continents.

BEYOND BORDERS – art & upcycled fashion is an interdisciplinary art project by Ela Mergels that explores cultural boundaries, global interconnectedness, and sustainability. The project combines analog photography, installation, and fashion into an open, participatory dialogue.

At the heart of the project is an analog camera that has been traveling the world since 2015—visiting 54 destinations so far. From Australia to Jordan, from Mexico to Japan, locals photograph what matters to them in life. Upon the camera’s return, the film is rewound and loaded a second time for the next journey.

In this way, two strangers tell a new story together through double exposures. In these photos, the visual worlds of two strangers merge into poetic compositions that reveal closeness, overlaps, and shared humanity.

Through the upcycled fashion collection created during the COVID-19 pandemic, this global art project extends into everyday life. Fashion is not viewed as a trend, but as an artistic medium that brings themes such as sustainability, identity, and social responsibility to the public eye.

BEYOND BORDERS straddles the lines between art installation, fashion project, and social dialogue, combining these elements into immersive environments. Visitors are invited to reflect on borders, belonging, and collective responsibility.

The project makes a deliberate statement against throwaway culture and social division.