Experiencing
This project is an exploration of migration and cultural exchange through the lens of food.
I have always been drawn to everyday street food and local markets - places where cultures and cuisines become seamlessly woven into the rhythms of daily life. For me, food has always been the most immediate and accessible way to experience and understand a new culture.
Taking advantage of the opportunity to live in London, I set out to immerse myself in as many new cuisines as possible. But this journey extended far beyond tasting dishes. I spoke with restaurant owners and street vendors, listening to their stories and learning about their cultural roots. These conversations became bridges - allowing me to connect with communities and experiences different from my own.
Using long exposure photography and positioning myself as the subject, I captured the passage of time in each location I visited. In every image, I stood motionless while the world moved around me. This visual approach symbolized the intersection of stillness and motion - of presence and transience.
Placing myself in front of the camera offered a glimpse of what it might feel like to be gazed upon, to be examined. The act of standing still and waiting for the shutter to close mirrored, in a small and symbolic way, the waiting and uncertainty experienced by countless asylum seekers whose lives are paused while decisions are made about their futures.
Of course, tasting food can never fully capture the depth and complexity of a culture. And standing still in front of a camera cannot possibly replicate the lived reality of navigating the UK asylum system. This project is not meant to explain or define these experiences - it is simply an attempt to lean in, to listen, and to engage with lives and cultures different than my own.