Portrait from my award winning ’SOLD’ series. The series was acquired by the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool/UK.
Limited edition Giclée print on beautiful matt Hahnemühle Fine Art Photo Rag paper.
“SOLD” is a powerful photographic series that sheds light on the issue of human trafficking in the Netherlands. The series consists of 25 anonymous portraits of survivors who have found temporary refuge in shelters. These portraits were created through a collaborative effort between me and the subjects, and aim to show their strength and beauty, rather than defining them as victims. These are portraits of beauty, strength and resilience of the human spirit.
The portraits were taken in the rooms of the shelters where the survivors lived, the clothes they wore were often their only possessions. The anonymity of the subjects was crucial to protect their identities, as they were still in danger. Most perpetrators of human trafficking are never caught.
I spent two and a half years working on this project, beginning with a surprise discovery that human trafficking was a problem in the Netherlands. The journey to create these portraits involved gaining the trust of the survivors, learning about their personal stories, and becoming aware of the devastating and unfathomable facts and statistics about human trafficking globally.
“SOLD” is a poignant reminder that trafficking and slavery is not just a problem in far-off countries, but a worldwide issue that affects us all, regardless of where we live. Some of the subjects have left the shelters and attempted to return to a normal life, while others remain in the shelters, part of an endless stream of victims. Through this series, I hope to raise awareness and bring attention to the issue of human trafficking and the resilience and strength of its survivors.
