We are delighted that Shutterhub has selected photographs from Alan’s project “You can see me, but I don’t exist” for their Postcards From Europe exhibition this year. Thank you, Shutterhub, for curating this exhibition and creating opportunities to show work.
For this ongoing project, Alan has used a camera obscura to photograph refugees in locations across Europe.
To many in the developing world, Europe is seen as a beacon of hope. To people living under oppressive regimes or in conflict situations, emigration to Europe offers the opportunity to escape violence and persecution, whether for political views, race or religion, or sexual orientation and start anew.
Each refugee who arrives in Europe has risked life and limb to have a chance at the “European Dream”; however, for most, long months or even years of waiting and uncertainty – and the final decision of the immigration authorities – stand between them and the realisation of their hopes and ambitions.
“You can see me, but I don’t exist” documents refugees in different European cities, who are caught in a frustrating ‘no man’s land’ between the homelands they have fled and the countries that they hope will give them a new home.
Alan photographed the Afghan refugee above in a detention centre in southwest Sweden. At the time the young man was awaiting deportation to Kabul, following the failure of his third application for asylum.
Visit the project page for further information and more images:
https://gignouxphotos.com/projects/you-can-see-me-but-i-dont-exist/
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