Joel Schalit

Branding Statelessness (Reference Version)

Throughout the three years I’ve been back in Europe, I’ve made a point of documenting visual signs of the refugee crisis, by photographing pro-migrant street art, tagging and graffiti. In today’s edition of Souciant, I reprise my Randomizer role, with four shots taken in Belgium, France and Italy. Included is an explanation of my personal connection to the subject matter.

See Branding Statelessness. The piece begins with this photo, which I took in Brussels, in late September. It was scrawled on a wall not far from my friend Arthur’s apartment, in Matongé. I like these kinds of pieces. They’re a nice way of combining op-ed and travel writing with photojournalism. In between composing longer analytical pieces, they help me  generate new ideas.

Targeted Advertising

Pro-pluralism advert, Berlin. November, 2010.

Migrant advocacy adhesive, Torino. August, 2011.

All About Home

Romania-themed Sunday service advert, Porta Palazzo. Torino, November.

African refugee demonstration, Piazza Castello. Torino, October.

Hijab and the Market

The lead photo from my new article, Cultural Programming, in Tuesday’s Souciant. Taken in Torino, mid-May.

Feature photograph for Joe Lockard’s Common Protests. Shot in London on March 26th, at the anti-cuts protest.

Milanese Pan-Arabism

Egypt is often associated with the color yellow. Viale Monza, March 010.

Syria brands itself as a tourist destination. Piazzale Loreto tube station, 02/10.

In Milano, couscous is frequently found on pizzeria menus. Loreto, 01/10.

Rebranding Milano

Migrant gang signature, Via Pietro Crespi.

Garage door mix, southeastern Milan.

Trotter Park wall, near Via Padova.

Photos taken January 2010

Milano Means Pleasure

Thai-themed massage parlors can be found throughout the city. Viale Monza, Christmas day, 2009.

The Magic Word

They waved their hands. They were anxious about having their picture taken.

“Sono comunista,” (“I’m a communist”)  I shouted from across the street.

“Bene,” (“Okay”) they warily replied.

“Lead to the fascists,” reads the Italian graffiti (“Piombo al fascio”) to their left.

African migrant workers, Florence, early October.

Physical Graffiti

When context is everything. Pro-asylum seeker, “Droits humains?” (trans: human rights?), with garbage can.

Additional tagging by Dick Pryze, (or Pryze Dicke), a frequent English-language signature in central Calais.

Popular Culture in Switzerland

C’mon guys. An advertisement for a Futurism exhibition next to an anti-immigration poster? It’s almost too obvious. Lugano, October 2010.