“Migrationpapa”

On a Monday morning in November 2010, six photographers in five cities around the world take their cameras to urban neighbourhoods where newcomers arrive. The photos flow into the PAPA website like a wave moving around the world. First from Bangladesh, five hours later from Rotterdam and Lagos – cities in the same time zone. Detroit and São Paulo complete the group another seven hours later. From the first week the photos and captions were projected on the windows of the cultural centre at the entrance to the neighbourhood in Rotterdam. The same will happen in other cities. In this way the inhabitants of the various newcomers neighbourhoods not only get a fresh perspective on their own lives but they also get to see how newcomers in other cities live. Migrationpapa is a PAPA project for Kosmopolis Rotterdam with the generous support of Hivos

Young entrepreneur

Rotterdam -  Young Mr. Bhoendie has been working here for eleven years now. His father and mother bought this little restaurant fifteen years ago. His mother cooks Surinamese, Hindu, Chinese, Carribean and…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

Pimp your car

Rotterdam -  Many people in Tarwewijk who used to work in the harbour and factories are jobless today. The new job market is in hairdo (African, Asian, Western), international telephone booths, small…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

Together 2

Rotterdam -  Two balconies in pensioners home ‘ Harmonie’ (Harmony). One with a Dutch flag, the other with a satellite dish, allowing her to watch TV shows from all over the world…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

Mexicantown 1

Detroit -  Alex Martinez shows off one of his roosters in the living room of his Southwest Detroit house. Martinez grew up on a farm in Mexico and tries to hold on…
Marcin Szczepanski – Migrationpapa

Beamed exhibition

Rotterdam -  Our work was shown on location for six weeks from the end of November 2010 till half January 2011. Sandra Smets, art critic in NRC newspaper Cultural Supplement…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa

The original

Sao Paulo -  When we go through Liberdade, we don’t know who is chinese or japanese. They are brazilian now. It’s so mixed! And so different from “the original\".…
Ines Correa – Migrationpapa

Korean News

Sao Paulo -  The most interesting thing about this neighborhood in Sao Paulo is that we find koreans, jews, bolivian and brazilian from Sao Paulo or from other parts of Brazil, all of…
Ines Correa – Migrationpapa

Beans from far away

Sao Paulo -  When someone goes to a place, he carries with him things he likes. When he arrives, there are things there that he learns. This paper is written in Japanese or…
Ines Correa – Migrationpapa

Mexicantown 2

Detroit -  Magnificent mural was painted on the side of a Mexican food store Hacienda on West Vernor Highway in a neighborhood called Mexicantown in Southwest Detroit. Detroit is home to a…
Marcin Szczepanski – Migrationpapa

Black middle class

Detroit -  Adris Nia, 60, grew up in Detroit. His parents moved here from the south of the US to take government positions in the first half of the 20th century. They…
Marcin Szczepanski – Migrationpapa

barbershop and tailor in one

Rotterdam -  There are many shops in shops. That keeps the costs low for everyone. Some of the owners sit, talk and drink Fanta and Cola at the end of the day…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa

Trying to control

Rotterdam -  many efforts have been made to get the situation under control in the Tarwewijk. In this street the government has put up signs saying: NO DOPE SMOKING  due to…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa

Patterns 3 Tarwewijk

Rotterdam -  The state and the civilian both do put great effort in exploring ways to improve the conditions for living. Sometimes succesfull, many times not so much. To many rules and…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa

Lost body

Sao Paulo -  Regardless of the time,  being homeless in a big city  affects a person’s body.…
Ines Correa – Migrationpapa

Roads2

Detroit -  Two men who migrated to the city from Kentucky in 1950s work on an old truck that belongs to the one on the right. They stayed behind when most of…
Marcin Szczepanski – Migrationpapa

Different Religions

Sao Paulo -  This is a church that korean made in “Bom Retiro” - Korean Peace Presbyterian Church. This neighborhood is always in change. First came the italians (1920), second the jews (after…
Ines Correa – Migrationpapa

Day off

Sao Paulo -  If it’s your day off, it’s time to go shopping or if you prefer you can go to a museum or a gallery. You can also just walk the dog…
Ines Correa – Migrationpapa

Kapsalon Halal Specialist

Rotterdam -  The text on the window puzzled me. Kapsalon (Barbershop) Halal specialist? How on earth can yo combine a kapsalon/barbershop with a snackbar for shoarma, pizzas and other specialities? I knew…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa

Bad news need to be told

Rotterdam -  The new policy of the authorities is not to report anymore about the bad things that happen in the Tarwewijk. Radiomaker and DJ Eric does not agree. Bad news and…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa

money transfer shop

Rotterdam -  This is one of many money transfer shops in Tarwewijk. Since many Tarwewijkers want to send money home to their family, this is the perfect neighborhood to start a business…
Nies Medema – Migrationpapa

protest

Sao Paulo -  Detail from the front door of the block of flats where the MST – Movimento dos Sem Teto/ Homeless Movement Downtown São Paulo is hosted. Homeless people struggling to obtain…
Ines Correa – Migrationpapa

The Streetfactory

Rotterdam -  New wood has arrived. The Streetfactory works with used wood. This is scaffolding wood. They do use pallet wood as well. The furniture they make does look good and is…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa

Resistance 2

Sao Paulo -  Building dominated by the MST, a homeless movement. The companies want to “revitalize", in other words, buy the old buildings to make modern buildings.…
Ines Correa – Migrationpapa

The nightshop

Rotterdam -  The Dordtse Lane counts numerous small and bigger foodstores and restaurants. This shop is open all night. Unfortunately the owner was shot three weeks ago by a customer he chased…
Lino Hellings – Migrationpapa