Complexd magazines Island issue will be live this week and we look forward to releasing another issue that explores culture, community and belonging. Complexd captures the interest of cosmopolitan women who have a strong sense of cultural identity. Over the weekend I visited an exhibition that opened my eyes to people who have no identity because they have been outcaste by their countries and culture.
Nowhere People by Greg Constantine is a series of photographs that depicts a small minority of the estimated fifteen million people worldwide who have no nationality and are stateless. The most touching image was of this 20 year old girl.
‘Without citizenship, stateless people belong to no country and are refused most social, civil and economic rights. In most cases, they cannot work legally, receive basic state health care services, obtain an education, open a bank account or benefit from even the smallest development programs. They are often deprived the freedom to travel, the right to own land or possess essential documents like an ID card, birth certificate or passport. Entire communities are denied an identity and are excluded from participating and contributing to places most have lived in for generations. Seen as outsiders and outcasts of society, stateless people are the unwanted and the unwelcome whatever the ground beneath their feet.
Nowhere People intends to give a small voice to people who for generations have had none. It aims to show the human toll the denial of citizenship has claimed on people and ethnic groups that find themselves excluded from society by forces beyond their control. More importantly, it hopes to provide tangible documentation of proof that millions of people hidden and forgotten all over the world actually exist.’
Nowhere People is exhibiting in London at the Royal Albert Hall until December 7th 2011. To find out about exhibitions in your city and more information on the project click here