THIRD PLACE WINNER - Editorial: Photo Essay / Story (PROFESSIONAL)
Refugee Odyssey
Photo © Kristof Vadino
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With the Arab spring, the Syrian conflict, and the deterring situation in the Middle East refugee camps by early 2015, an unseen refugee odyssey towards Europe unfolded. Since july 2015 I have been documenting this refugee trail at the Greek islands and mainland, on the Balkan route, in Belgium and France.
People try to get away from war, poverty or a lack of opportunities. The refugee odyssey is filled with panic, disorientation, anger and fear. I want to show the insecurity, the disorientation and deeper feelings of the refugees. To give them -the other- a human face.
Some politicians exploit successfully the anger against “the other”. The bad other is used to shift attention away from growing social, financial end ecological problems. Many in Europe are afraid of the refugees. Muslim hatred is on the rise. So it has become even more necessary than before to document in a compelling and empathic way the refugees seeking shelter in Europe. I try to portray the other with this verse of Arthur Rimbaud: “Je est un autre”.
We should organise this odyssey in a human way. I witnessed victims of brutal hungarian police forces. Profound dog bites and wound from severe beatings. In Greece I saw Syrian families stranded in bad conditions for almost a year because the promised European relocation plan has become a farce. Is this the road Europe wants to take?
These series was made possible thanks to Doctors of The World Belgium and De Standaard newspaper. For this work I received the Belgian Press Photographers price in the category 'Stories', the Life Framer 'Humans of the World' 2nd prize, finalist mention in the Alexandra Boulat Award and it was shown at Voies-Off Rencontres d'Arles.
I will soon document the refugee odyssey in Turkey and the Middle East.
In 2016 Lensculture stated me as one of the 50 best emerging photographers worldwide, I received the Nikon Press Photographers Award in the categorie stories, the 2nd prize of Life Framer 'Humans of the World', I was finalist for the Rencontres d'Arles Festival Voies-Off, the Pierre and Alexandra Boulat Grant and the Brussels Street Photography Festival.
In 2014-2016 three grants gave me the opportunity to work on longterm projects: Fund Pascal Decroos for reporting on the textile workers of Cambodia. Fund Filip Decock for documenting the eco-sustainibility of Tonle Sap Lake. And International Development Reporting Grant for documenting the role of wastepickers in recycling plastic into 3D filament.
In my approach to the subject I try to be as intuïtive as possible.
I am based in Brussels, Belgium.
BACK TO GALLERY
With the Arab spring, the Syrian conflict, and the deterring situation in the Middle East refugee camps by early 2015, an unseen refugee odyssey towards Europe unfolded. Since july 2015 I have been documenting this refugee trail at the Greek islands and mainland, on the Balkan route, in Belgium and France.
People try to get away from war, poverty or a lack of opportunities. The refugee odyssey is filled with panic, disorientation, anger and fear. I want to show the insecurity, the disorientation and deeper feelings of the refugees. To give them -the other- a human face.
Some politicians exploit successfully the anger against “the other”. The bad other is used to shift attention away from growing social, financial end ecological problems. Many in Europe are afraid of the refugees. Muslim hatred is on the rise. So it has become even more necessary than before to document in a compelling and empathic way the refugees seeking shelter in Europe. I try to portray the other with this verse of Arthur Rimbaud: “Je est un autre”.
We should organise this odyssey in a human way. I witnessed victims of brutal hungarian police forces. Profound dog bites and wound from severe beatings. In Greece I saw Syrian families stranded in bad conditions for almost a year because the promised European relocation plan has become a farce. Is this the road Europe wants to take?
These series was made possible thanks to Doctors of The World Belgium and De Standaard newspaper. For this work I received the Belgian Press Photographers price in the category 'Stories', the Life Framer 'Humans of the World' 2nd prize, finalist mention in the Alexandra Boulat Award and it was shown at Voies-Off Rencontres d'Arles.
I will soon document the refugee odyssey in Turkey and the Middle East.
About author:
I am a freelance photojournalist, working for Belgian and international media. Publications include De Standaard, Le Monde, BBC, Elsevier and De Tijd among others. I also work for NGO's, mostly for Doctors of the World.In 2016 Lensculture stated me as one of the 50 best emerging photographers worldwide, I received the Nikon Press Photographers Award in the categorie stories, the 2nd prize of Life Framer 'Humans of the World', I was finalist for the Rencontres d'Arles Festival Voies-Off, the Pierre and Alexandra Boulat Grant and the Brussels Street Photography Festival.
In 2014-2016 three grants gave me the opportunity to work on longterm projects: Fund Pascal Decroos for reporting on the textile workers of Cambodia. Fund Filip Decock for documenting the eco-sustainibility of Tonle Sap Lake. And International Development Reporting Grant for documenting the role of wastepickers in recycling plastic into 3D filament.
In my approach to the subject I try to be as intuïtive as possible.
I am based in Brussels, Belgium.
BACK TO GALLERY
