Topography of Hospitality

In recent years I developed a profound interest in understanding the spatial conformation of emergency and labour camps that have developed across Europe. The topography of these places, either devoted to cope with emergency or as semi-permant structures, reflects the hypocrisies in dealing with the migratory phenomenon. The arrival of migrants is seen as a burden from governments and the public opinion, while at the same time their working force is essential in today’s market, seeking cheap labour with low rights. 

I have photographed camps in Greece, Bosnia Herzegovina and several locations in Italy. I have visited official camps built by governments and informal settlements. A common trait of these camps is their peripheral localisation, together with their spatial conformation, an  indication of the extent of governmental intervention. Camps are built as ghettos. isolated, with no attempt to favor social exchange and integration with the local community. This is true also for those official camps, built in agricultural regions of Southern Europe, to give shelter for migrants working locally, often exploited.