Via PanAm

Tentoonstelling: Nederlands Fotomuseum, Rotterdam - 9 november 2013 t/m 12 januari 2014 "For this project, I wanted to experience the distances that many migrants travel. So I started my overland journey in Puerto Toro, the most southern settlement in Chile, and reached my endpoint almost a year and 40.000 km later in Deadhorse, Alaska. I crossed 15 countries and documented the lives of the many migrants I met. It struck me how vulnerable they are and how at the same time, many economies are dependent on migrants. I realised that to migrate is never an easy decision to make. But despite the difficulties, people leave their homes and start all over again somewhere far away, in the pursuit of happiness." - Kadir van LohuizenAfter the innovative multi-media iPad app and a traveling exhibition, Van Lohuizen's work will now be compiled into a book. This unique publication takes the reader along through the changing landscapes of the countries he travelled. Within these landscapes, the stories of the people pop up, on smaller pages, like intimate little booklets zooming in on the lives of the people that Van Lohuizen portrayed. The photo stories reflect the complexity of migration - the diverse motivations for coming and going, the struggles and successes, the economic, political, social and environmental contexts, as well as the intimate moments and personal stories. Some touching upon current issues, some on topics long forgotten but not resolved. To Van Lohuizen's portrayal of the continents, which he views as a skilled outsider, an essay by acclaimed Colombian author Juan Gabriel Vásquez is added. Additional information about migration in the Americas and related issues are presented by way of short texts and info graphics. The book is bi-lingual: English and Spanish. Not only does this allow for a broad international distribution, it also reflects the situation of the migrants visualized. In an inventive design by Teun van der Heijden (Heijdens Karwei), mixing colour, black and white pictures and texts on pages of different sizes, the book provides a unique, high-quality closure to Van Lohuizen's impressive project.