15 May, 2020
A wave on the coast of Italy, at Livorno, taken in red light. The sea features strongly in migrants’ dreams and stories, and red is seen as a primordial color representing blood and danger, but also energy.
More than one million immigrants from Africa officially reside in Italy, as well as an unknown number of undocumented migrants, many of whom have made a perilous and often life-threatening journey to get there. The photographer compares migrants in Italy to scattered stars, a constellation of young people from different countries, of different genders, and with different traits. They have all come to Italy for different personal reasons and are celebrated for their individual stories, in a way that tries to resist stereotyping of African migrants. The photographer asked them about home, dreams, and childhood memories, representing their dreams through metaphors and use of color. Most migrant crossings occur at night, which led to the metaphor of stars, rain and darkness.
A 2016 study by the International Organization of Migrants pointed to insecurity, conflict, and discrimination as the main drivers of migration, not solely economic and work reasons. Discrimination on the basis of social group, religion, or sexual orientation was mentioned by almost half of the study group. In October 2020, the Italian government adopted a decree overturning many of the anti-immigration policies introduced by the previous interior minister Matteo Salvini, leader of the right-wing Lega Nord (Northern League).
Alisa Martynova
Alisa Martynova is a Russian photographer who lives and works in Florence, Italy. After finishing her studies in foreign philology in Russia, she graduated with a photog...
