Immigration Crisis - on going work -

 

 History and presentation of the on going project. Since 2014, I have observed the refugee crisis in Europe becoming part of a growing trend of forced migration, primarily due to armed conflicts and authoritarian regimes in regions such as the Middle East and North Africa. In 2015, at the peak of this crisis, more than one million refugees reached Europe via the Mediterranean, mainly from Syria (46.7%), Afghanistan (20.9%), and Iraq (9.4%). Most of these refugees arrived in Italy and Greece, fleeing war-torn or authoritarian countries. From this period onwards, the European arms industry was boosted by the increased demand for equipment, technology, and infrastructure required by Europe's militarized response to this crisis. Ironically, these same arms companies are the ones fueling the conflicts that force refugees to leave their countries. Thus, the European arms industry benefits doubly.

 About the ongoing project. This ongoing project attempts to shed light on the root causes of the refugee crisis while denouncing the power structures and corporate violence that sustain it. With a documentary approach, sometimes subjective, even speculative, but always based on facts, I aim to craft an alternative documentary narrative about the migration crisis, focusing on the causes rather than the consequences, and using photography as a tool for critique and reflection. The project is ongoing and will continue to develop with new research, collaborations, and travels.

 Artist's note. What you will see below is a selection of photographs, archives, and layouts that result from three years of travels, research, and studio work. It is a series of photos, sketches, research material, ideas, and constantly evolving and changing proposals. It is a puzzle that, for now, seeks only to offer a glimpse of a work in progress, of my process.

Research Note The visual research for this ongoing work would not be possible without the previously conducted work of men and women, their outrage and commitment, as well as the NGOs and media that support them and are a fundamental pillar for this type of research. Among these researchers, NGOs, and media are: TNI, Stop Wapenhandel, SIPRI, Disclose, Center Delàs, among others.