Public Art in London: Liz Hingley's Waymarkers on Strand

The power of SIM cards in this innovative art installation

Liz Hingley collaborates with those seeking sanctuary to create the SIM project, which features SIM-card-sized artworks that reflect on the importance of SIM cards to displaced persons. Her installation is currently visible on The Strand, and we spoke to her about this project.

The artist reflected next to her work. Photo: Jack Latimer.

How did the SIM Project come about?

The project began in 2017 in the depths of the Herbert Museum Archive with a group of Syrians seeking sanctuary in Coventry. Exploring the collections to learn about the city's history and people who have shaped it, we encountered keys dating back to the 11th century. Our conversations led to the idea of the SIM card as the contemporary key that unlocks what Abdul [one of the Syrians Liz worked with] called his ‘smartphone suitcase.’

We focused on the SIM card as a universal symbol of connection and a vital tool that unlocks local and international networks to give a sense of belonging in a new place. In the words of [another person Liz worked with] Kacem, which are written over the door of the Waymarkers exhibition, ‘A person in any country begins their relationship, adventures, and acquires an identity, whether temporary or long when they put the SIM card of that country in their phone.’

Below the paywall:

• What to expect from the exhibition

• More of the stories that inspired these artworks

• What makes the works so important right now