In recent years, comics have proven to be a powerful educational tool, capable of addressing social and historical issues while inviting readers to think critically. The exhibition aims to showcase this potential, presenting a view of how comics relate to a complex, near and transcendent reality as it has unfolded with migration in recent decades. The focus is on the migrant phenomenon and how graphic storytelling can illuminate memory and experience.
Produced by the Catalonia Immigration Museum (MUHIC), the show surveys the history of immigration in Spain over the last hundred years through the lens of comics. It uses illustrated narratives to reflect on arrivals, settlements, and the daily lives shaped by movement, highlighting the human aspect behind each statistic. This approach invites visitors to see migration not only as a policy issue but as a lived experience that intersects with culture, identity, and community.
three pieces
Curated by two recognized specialists in comics and pedagogy, the exhibition unfolds across three areas: From Exile, The Great Trauma, and The Underground and Global Migrations. The curators examine the imprint of the Civil War, the waves of migration during the Franco era, and the enduring impact of rural migration, weaving these themes into a broader narrative about movement and memory. The progression reveals how conflict and upheaval push communities to seek new futures, while traditions adapt in the process.
The final zone turns its attention to contemporary migrations, emphasizing the Global South and ongoing flows that shape today’s societies. This section foregrounds current realities and the ways new arrivals navigate integration and belonging in the modern world.
The exhibition is presented in Alicante through a collaboration between the Provincial History Archive of the General Directorate of Culture, which offers key archival documents, and the Mediterranean Diaspora Borriana teaching initiative in Alicante. This collaboration aligns education with human rights, bringing migration-related topics closer to schools and educational programs. The intent is to foster critical reflection and informed discussion among students and teachers alike, highlighting the role of education in understanding global movement and its local consequences.
contemporary migrations
For the Alicante itinerary through January 2024, the exhibit strengthens its didactic focus by including materials on contemporary migrations provided by international organizations and humanitarian groups, alongside a representative selection of classroom materials from schools across the Valencian Community. The objective is to connect historical perspectives with present-day experiences, showing how migration stories continue to unfold and shape societies.
During the stay in Alicante, didactic workshops are planned for secondary schools, organized by the teaching team that accompanies the exhibit. These activities aim to translate the visual story into classroom inquiry, encouraging students to analyze migration themes from multiple angles and to consider human rights in daily life.
workshopsFocusing on the aesthetic evolution of comics and the study of contemporary migrations, the Aula Didáctica de la Diaspora Mediterránea designed activities to accompany the exhibition. The aim is to demonstrate how comics can illuminate changes in society, especially regarding migration flows, and to stimulate thoughtful classroom discussion among students.
The project emphasizes the pedagogical value of comics as a medium that can illuminate social change. By examining migration through images, editors, and characters, it helps learners reflect on their own communities and the broader world in which they live.
Finally, the show invites educators and visitors to consider how graphic storytelling shapes memory, identity, and civic engagement. It demonstrates that comics are not merely entertainment but a powerful, accessible tool for understanding movement, human rights, and the evolving narrative of migration across generations. This perspective encourages ongoing dialogue about how societies welcome newcomers and how migrants contribute to the cultural fabric of their new homes.