Western Union

is a documentary photo project that addresses the reality of migrants who, once outside their home country, become the primary financial providers for their families. Migrants from underprivileged backgrounds- whether class, race, gender or other factors- often face complicated bureaucracy in the new country, frequently becoming “illegal.” Even those who attain some form of “legal status” encounter segregation, discrimination, and precarious living conditions.

The project grew out of a personal experience I had while waiting in a Western Union office to send money to my family. I noticed that many of the people coming in and out of the office were migrants. Talking to some of them revealed that they had precarious jobs with low wages, often without contracts or insurance. This highlighted that racialised people, especially migrants, are not only among the most exploited in the capitalist system, but also remain invisible. As Vandana Shiva remarked in a 2019 talk at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna: capitalism is a myth; colonialism is a reality, we live in a form of modern slavery.

The photographs in this project were enlarged directly onto fabric using a photosensitive emulsion, challenging the conventions of traditional documentary photography. After conducting formal interviews with the participants, I chose to create portraits that celebrated their dignity and visibility.

Kültur Gemma Grantee 2019