For now, here is a recent and ongoing personal project looking at the sub-culture of expatriates. The following portraits were all shot in Singapore but my intention is to take this project to other countries in which there is a large expat population.
This project will be imminently posted on my website and here is the blurb i am midway through drafting:
EXPATRIATE
“An expatriate (or expat) is a person residing in a country and culture other than that of the person’s upbringing or legal residence.
Globalisation has created an international market for skilled professionals. Private motivation is
becoming more relevant than company assignment.”
“Traditional corporate expatriates did not integrate and commonly only associated with the
elite of the country they were living in. Modern expats form a global middle class with shared work experiences in multi- national corporation. Integration is incomplete but strong cultural
influences are transmitted.” (citation: wikipedia)
Alex became interested in the expat culture after numerous visits to Singapore.
To Alex the lifestyle of the expat seems like a stand-alone culture; many expats don’t appear to fully integrate into local society (raising the question of whether is is ever possible to fully assimilate into another, very different culture, leaving behind ingrained socialisation?)
Subsequently a culture is created to meet the lifestyle needs of the expatriate, incorporating cultural aspects of their homeland into the new environment and combining this with local lifestyle.
Through portraiture, Alex explores the nature of expatriates.
This is an ongoing project....
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