CROSSING THE STREET

In an effort to add to the discourse around Direct Provision, to increase international awareness of its existence and in some small way to help bring an end to its madness, I will be adding my voice to those already active by starting a new series of photographs. Photographs of survivors of Direct Provision.
 Those who have passed through the system and come out the other end.


Above is the first - Vukasin Nedeljković a dear friend, a survivor of Direct Provision and a tireless campaigner for human rights for all asylum seekers.
Vukasin originally from Belgrade and now an Irish citizen spent 3 years in a centre in Ballyhaunis Co. Mayo. Since being there he himself has made a deep photographic documentation of the sites of Direct Provision, resulting in  the website Asylum Archive and in the book of the same name which was launched to much acclaim last September.

Vukasin’s image was made on Connaught Street, Phibsborough. It is a street he crosses every day and behind him is the concrete structure of Phibsborough Tower. Vukasin says this is the type of building he grew up in and he fears its loss with an upcoming development set to subsume the structure into a larger building.

I am delighted to have the wholehearted support of Vukasin in gaining traction for this project and look forward to hearing from members of Irish communities who have passed through this system.  I would like to share their story in this forum and possibly in an International photographic exhibition.

If you or anyone known to you have survived the path to Irish citizenship/residency that is Direct Provision and would like to have their portraits made at a street crossing that holds some resonance for  them please contact me at the email address below.
dmon@mac.com.
The purpose of this work would be to open up another channel of discussion about the experience of Direct Provision. Therefore helping to raise awareness of the inappropriate nature of this system, as the Irish people make a sad effort through multiple governments to fulfil their obligations under in International Law.

Ray Hegarty helped to get all under control on the day and steadied everyone nerves out on the street!
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