Essay 135 • Apr 17th 2017
- by Francisco Gonzalez
Expat is a series of photographs that study the phenomenon of expatriates in the United States of America. I narrate my personal story from the diverse points of view of those who decided to emigrate as I did.
During the project I photograph people from Colombia to Mozambique and from Nigeria to China, portraying their different cultures and how they manifest themselves far away from home. People who come seeking education or just people who leave looking for a better place to live and work is what accomplishes the series. I juxtapose their culture within the space they now live in, trying to show the differences and how it is hard to lose your cultural heritage.
These photographic artworks serve as the starting point to an investigation surrounding these human beings.
Expat, Kenya, 2015
Expat, Bin, 2015
Expat, Joyce, 2015
Expat, Renua, 2015
Expat, Nena, 2015
Expat, William, 2015
Expat, Sayako, 2015
Expat, Silvia, 2015
Expat, Veronica, 2015
Expat, Margie, 2015
Expat, Helena, 2015
Expat, Rasa, 2016
Expat, Juan, 2015
Expat, Juan Manuel, 2016
His pieces are inspired by the cultural landscape in which he practices, and portray different cultural matters. His art is a study of the past, present and future of society, represented through different subjects such as architecture, youth, and fashion. Francisco finds inspiration in his own experiences and uses it to create the narrative he wants to tell. Through his photography, he begins to understand both himself and his humanity at a much deeper level.
Francisco is currently living and working in Miami, Florida as a commercial photographer as he continues to develop his career as an artist. He is available for commissions everywhere.