Photoville 2024: Migration through a camera lens

Snapshots of migration journeys from Doctors Without Borders projects across the Americas.

The Photoville Festival in New York returns this June with an exhibit featuring photography that Doctors Without Borders/Mèdecins Sans Frontières (MSF) has collected from our work providing health care to migrants across the Americas. In our exhibit, “Connecting Threads: Migration Across the Americas,” you’ll get a glimpse of what migrants face on their journeys and why so many are risking everything for a chance at a better future across borders.

When: Saturday, June 1 - Sunday, June 16, 2024
Where: Brooklyn Bridge Park (Emily Warren Roebling Plaza), Brooklyn, New York

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Connecting Threads: A visual narrative of migration

About the exhibition

Every year, hundreds of thousands of people undertake a treacherous journey through the Americas seeking safety and security, the majority heading north to the US border. Whether they are fleeing extreme violence or poverty, every person on the move carries a story and hope for a better future.

"Connecting Threads” presents a visual narrative of migration, from the deadly Darién Gap jungle connecting South and Central America and onward north to Mexico. Featuring photographs by Juan Carlos Tomasi and artwork by Hugo Gonzalez, as well as video and audio testimonies gathered by MSF teams in Mexico, this multimedia exhibition weaves together the diverse experiences of people on the move. Through Tomasi's lens, we bear witness to the strength and determination of people navigating harsh terrain and unpredictable circumstances. These images convey the struggles and resilience of migrants and asylum seekers across the Americas, as well as the crucial role of humanitarian aid and the urgent need for a more caring and compassionate response to the so-called “refugee crisis.” What we see is a crisis of humanity.

A view of children through a fence post near the Darién Gap

What migrants still face on the journey through the Americas

Snapshots of migration in the Americas

A child sits behind his mother who is crouching down on a bench after crossing the Darién Gap. — Maricela arrived exhausted at the indigenous community of Bajo Chiquito, Panama. 2023 © Juan Carlos Tomasi/MSF

Migrants travel through Ecuador, Colombia and Panama. — People on the move crossing through Ecuador, Colombia, and Panama. 2023 © Juan Carlos Tomasi/MSF

Border wall between Mexico and Arizona, United States.

A migrant carries a small child with another beside him as he crosses the Darién Gap between Colombia and Panama. — Half a million people have crossed the Darién Gap this year—more than double the number of people who crossed in the whole of 2022. 2023 © Juan Carlos Tomasi/MSF

Children standing along the border wall between the United States and Mexico. — Three children play with bubbles provided by MSF after arriving across the border in Arizona. The children are not related but had traveled together with their families. United States 2024 © Christopher Lee

About Photoville

The 13th annual Photoville Festival features a “photo village” comprised of 18 shipping container exhibitions and over 35 open-air photo exhibits and activations. In collaboration with hundreds of artists and programming partners to curate and present over 80 outdoor exhibitions, Photoville addresses a wide range of issues, giving visitors a unique experience of thought-provoking and exceptional photography from across the globe. Opening weekend (June 1-2) will feature a range of public programs in Brooklyn Bridge Park, including artist talks, workshops, screenings, and more—as well as open-air exhibitions in communities across all five boroughs of New York City.

Learn more about the festival on Photoville's website and plan your visit here.

Record-breaking Darién Gap crossings in 2023

Migrants have been left with no protection.

How you can help

Not everyone can treat patients in the field. But everyone can do something.

Some humanitarian crises make the headlines—others don’t. Unrestricted support from our donors allows us to mobilize quickly and efficiently to provide lifesaving medical care to the people who need it most, whether those needs are in the spotlight or not. And your donation is 100 percent tax-deductible.