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Across the Border

Photography by matthieu alexandre

Across the Border

From East to West

(2004-2016)

For almost 12 years, I have devoted part of my work to the question of exile. I present here a non-exhaustive summary of this work. Whether they are displaced, in transit or in exile, from their country of origin (here Iraq) to France. They come from Eritrea, Somalia, Afghanistan or Iraq. This portfolio does not pretend to tell their story or to follow them during their migration, but only to give an overview. It is a work that I continue to carry out, in particular with the Afghans who arrived in France after the capture of Kabul by the Taliban in August 2021. (cf. Portfolio "I'll be there").

(Iraq, 2004)

(Karakosh, Irak, February 2004)

(Lebanon & Syria, 2009)

Iraqi refugees (Beyruth, Lebanon, October 2009)
Iraqi refugees at UNHCR (Aleppo, Syria, October 2009)
Iraqi refugees (Beyruth, Lebanon, October 2009)
Iraqi refugees (Beyruth, Lebanon, October 2009)

(Paris, France, 2010)

A French air hostess carries an Iraqi child in her arms at Orly Airport on November 8, 2010. A group of 35 wounded Iraqis arrived at Orly airport in Paris for hospital treatment following a deadly Al-Qaeda hostage attack in a Baghdadi church on October 31, 2010.

(Greece, 2015)

(Idomeni, Greece, september 2015)
(Idomeni, Greece, september 2015)
(Idomeni, Greece, september 2015)
(Idomeni, Greece, september 2015)
(Idomeni, Greece, september 2015)
(Idomeni, Greece, september 2015)
(Idomeni, Greece, september 2015)
(Idomeni, Greece, september 2015)
(Idomeni, Greece, september 2015)
(Idomeni, Greece, september 2015)
(Idomeni, Greece, september 2015)
(Idomeni, Greece, september 2015)

(Macedonia, 2015)

On the other side of the border, a train is waiting for migrants to cross into Macedonia.

(Gevgelija, Macedonia, september 2015)
(Gevgelija, Macedonia, september 2015)
(Gevgelija, Macedonia, september 2015)
(Gevgelija, Macedonia, september 2015)
(Gevgelija, Macedonia, september 2015)
(Gevgelija, Macedonia, september 2015)
(Gevgelija, Macedonia, september 2015)
(Gevgelija, Macedonia, september 2015)
(Gevgelija, Macedonia, september 2015)
(Gevgelija, Macedonia, september 2015)
(Gevgelija, Macedonia, september 2015)

(France, 2016)

(Paris, France, juillet 2016)
(Paris, France, juillet 2016)
(Paris, France, juin 2016)
(Paris, France, juin 2016)
Tonight my bag is packed, Tomorrow I'll walk these tracks That will lead me across the border. Tomorrow my love and I will sleep beneath auburn skies somewhere across the border. We'll leave behind my dear the pain and sadness we found here. (Bruce Springsteen, Across the Border)

All photographs copyrighted © matthieu alexandre