“Hello there!” cried Moomintroll through the storm, to show he was not afraid.

“Hello, hello,” said the sea-troll. “You look as though you might be a relation.”

—Tove Jansson, The Great Flood (1945)

In The Moomins and the Great Flood, written by artist, illustrator, and writer Tove Jansson in 1945 in the shadow of World War II, Moomintroll and his mother drift at sea, unsure if they will find safety, but also finding hope in a moment of unexpected connection.

In 2025, the book celebrated its 80th anniversary, and Counterpoints joined forces with Moomin Characters Ltd for Refugee Week to bring this story alive. Alongside three other artists/collectives across the UK, Dana was commissioned to work with people with experience of displacement in Gloucester in collaboration with Gloucester Guildhall.

The commission enquired how we might explore radical hospitality to those arriving in a new place. Tove Jansson’s books have always encouraged an open, curious, and progressive take on alternative family-making. What if ‘home’ wasn’t defined by birthplace, borders, or background, but by the kindness we show and the relationships we build? What if we created fertile conditions for radical hospitality beyond blood connections? 

Working in Gloucester between 2024-2025, Dana co-built the floating installation You Look As Though You Might Be A Relation: a raft with a sail bearing the eponymous slogan that travelled across Gloucester Docks during Refugee Week, and designed the Gloucester Welcome Map.

The printed and digital Gloucester Welcome Map was co-created in workshops with diverse communities who used their experience of the city and their ideas of radical hospitality to inform the map’s content. Over food, gentle activities, and low-pressure conversation, Dana met time-bankers at Fair Shares, people supported by GARAS (Gloucestershire Action for Refugees and Asylum Seekers), Ukrainian children attending Young Gloucestershire’s sessions at Archway School, multi-lingual young people at Gloucester College, and ESOL learners supported by Adult Education in Gloucestershire. The map was widely distributed in Gloucester, with exceptional help by the ESOL team, Fay Tucker and Zulekha Raja. 

The raft was inspired by children’s ingenuity in building simple floating devices, with the raft plans made by Dominic Mills of T. Nielsen & Company, one of the world’s leading specialists in restoring and building traditional ships and rigging. It was built exclusively by hand by a team of thirteen people with experience of displacement. Ali, Hamza, Hussain, Jairo, Jalal, Milad, Mohammad, Nabil, Shahram, Shuaib, Talal, and Yudi, who shared their own carpentry techniques and skills with lead carpenter Daren Drew. 

The sail was screen printed by Luddite Press, a non-profit printmaking space run by artists for artists, and put together by Alan Robinson of Performance Sails. 

On Midsummer Night, the raft became the stage for a live musical performance by artist  Zariq Rosita-Hanif. She performed on the Sampe’, a traditional lute from Borneo, alongside a movement piece that reflected her own journey of arrival in the UK. Audiences were invited to witness the performance up close from the water on paddles, with gentle guidance from Canal and River Trust volunteers.

The sail is currently on display as part of the 'Escape to Moominvalley' exhibition at the Architecture and Design Museum in Helsinki, Finland. 

You Look As Though You Might Be A Relation was co-commissioned and co-produced by Counterpoints Arts and Gloucester Guildhall, made possible by the support of Moomin Characters Ltd. in celebration of 80 years since the publication of the first Moomin story.

Commissioned by Moomin Characters and Counterpoints Produced by Gloucester Guildhall Artist: Dana Olărescu Creative Producer: Red Isaac Partners: Canal and River Trust, GARAS Raft plans: Dominic Mills (T. Nielsen & Company) Sail fabrication: Alan Robinson (Performance Sails) Sail screen printing: Luddite Press Raft carpenter: Daren Drew Raft builders: Ali, Hamza, Hussain, Jairo, Jalal, Milad, Mohammad, Nabil, Neil,  Shahram, Shuaib, Talal, Yudi Engineering checks: Graham Tucker NHS support during raft build: Juwairiyia Motala Performer: Zariq Rosita-Hanif Dress made by Zariq Rosita-Hanif with contributions from Emma Willis Sewing Studio: Aysha Randera, Emma Probert, Nafisa Jadwat, Nebeela Sedu, Liz Wraight, Helena Zabko Phillips, Theresa Murphy, Deborah Thurkettle, Lyn Heatley, Saba Amir, Wendy Harris, Danielle Tipton, Jussara Nazare, Sara Rebekah, Maris Meos, Jenna Thoresson, Hetty La Rock and Kenny Farrell.

Photo credits: Jump Cut Visuals, Andre Pattenden, Anni Koponen, Neil Clarke.