Over the last three years, I chronicled the personal costs of psychological and physical violence against refugees and asylum seekers. I documented the psychological harm that refugees suffer as they wait for their status to be cleared and endure the impenetrability of bureaucracy, detention and physical violence. Hate stems from many layers, some invisible created by a political message that allows for impenetrable bureaucracy, breaches of human rights. It is also the basis for a massive transformation of Europe in a geophysical, social and political level. The geography of hate describes the codified messages seen in the construction of borders, political messages, visual representation that translates that Europe needs to fight an invasion framing refugees and asylum seekers as dangerous people. During my work on the Hate Hurts project, I have recorded some of the processes taking place of securing countries political borders that are directly influencing the European geographic areas in physical and psychological way.
Ashatalom, Hungary.
Bereg border Hungary/Croatia crossing.The more borders become militarised, the more dangerous routes people take to reach safety.
Hungary/Serbia border.
Border fence in Ásotthalom, Hungary.
Border Serbia and Hungary.
Frustration runs high among the refugees living in Rodopa Residence near Salerno, South of Italy. Recently, they asked to see the regional police head, Salvatore Malfi demanding their official registration in the country so that they can start living a normal life.
Ro.do.pa. refugee centre, near Salerno, Italy.
Oycha Kupel refugee camp, Sofia, Bulgaria.
In the last weeks, informal camps in Sid, Subotica, Belgrade have been removed by the Serbian police leaving many with the only option to enter an official camp or live in hiding and keep on trying to border crossing. Adasevci camp close to Croatia border is one of the few official refugee camps. The facilities are non existent and poor.
Ellinikon, former Athens International airport where at one time hundreds of refugees were living in cramped conditions with no water facility and scarce food.
