K DM, Stories from the country of longing (PORTRAIT 2022)

Hi, my name is Kady. Originally from France, I’ve been benefitting from stolen land (Australia) for 9 years. My practice focuses on questioning the status quo and documenting the challenges experienced by the migrant community Down Under. When I moved to Australia 9 years ago, I promised my parents to visit at least once a year. All was well until Covid hit. It's now been 4 years since I last got to eat my mum's food, share laughs with my sisters or got to hold them.. Navigating the uncertainty of the pandemic whilst being homesick was extremely hard. I was craving speaking my own language, being around people who share my culture. I needed to hold on to any form of familiarity, to help me feel ‘safe’. I was living in fear to receive that one call every expat dreads. In August 2021, I decided to look beyond my own sorrow and reached out to members of my community via Facebook groups. That’s how “Stories from the country of longing” was born. I wanted to capture their stories of longing and ask them to hold a sign with the date they were last 'home'. Reaching out to strangers at a time where suspicion was so high and human connections something to avoid at any cost was scarry. Thankfully, my first shoot made me realize that my apprehension was unjustified. Meeting members of my community created an instant connection. We were united by our shared grief and heartache. Over the course of 6 months, I gathered 50 stories of longing. Griet (Netherlands) and Alfie (Philippines) lost their father without being able to attend the funeral. Their exemption to travel requests were rejected. Lisa (Italy) was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and is undergoing heavy treatment without her parents by her side. Jorge (Mexico) hadn’t seen his family for 7 years and had finally booked tickets for a reunion when Covid hit. With 30% of the total Australian population born overseas (ABS 2019-20), this project is only the tip of the iceberg. Although our heart was broken by Australia’s inhuman policies, our smile is a testimony of the incredible resilience and the courage we never ceased to show. I sincerely hope that this project can help someone, even just a little, to find some closure one day. Thank you for your consideration. KDM

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