Artist • Michel Francois Johnson-Figueredo
Humber Program • Bachelor of Public Relations Student
Work • Tristesa en Samana
Artwork Description •
In the late August, 2020, I visited the small town of Samana, Dominican Republic, experiencing a shocking view of some of the worst wealth disparity I’ve seen with my own eyes. Leaving my resort, I discovered a long bridge that extended far into the Samana Bay, connecting multiple isles together. This bridge made an unintentional contribution for local fishermen to make a living, casting off the side of this bridge. At the end of my walk down this never-ending bridge, I spotted a family casting their own fishing lines towards the other side of the bay. Upon approaching them I asked their names and what they were doing. They told me that they were catching small fishes, to be used for bait for a bigger fish. I asked them if they use it for themselves or if they sell it. The older sister, next to her two younger brothers told me that they work for half the day to make sure that they have enough bait to sell, to survive another week. This occurrence casted a dark cloud on my vacation down in the Caribbean, reminding me of the poverty and desperation that is all around the world. I continue to learn and be amazed at how in the background of a photograph I can capture million-dollar yachts, while poverty is rampant in the foreground.
See more of Michel's work at:
Instagram • @cascadasto
Website • Cascadas.ca
Humber Galleries' Campus as a Canvas Pop-Up: Michel Johnson-Figueredo