The Family of Migrants
Departures, journeys and arrivals in around two hundred photographs
The Family of Migrants brings together 136 photographers from around the world, presenting both iconic and lesser-known images that illustrate migration as a timeless phenomenon – and, above all, a deeply human story. In 1914, Gurdit Singh sailed from Hong Kong to Canada, only to be denied entry. Over a century later, in 2022, Volodymyr bid farewell to his girlfriend at Lviv station before heading to the front lines after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Migration in focus
The images in The Family of Migrants document people on the move, in search of better opportunities, adventure, or safety – a fresh start. Some pack their bags, while others have little chance to take anything with them. They leave behind family and friends, board trains, cross borders and start anew. These photographs tell stories of farewells, loss, love, family and hope.
Sweden, 2015. Cidra fled to Sweden with her uncle Ahmed and aunt Jihan. She calls her mother, who stayed behind in Syria. Olivier Jobard.
Historical and contemporary photography
The Family of Migrants charts the history of photography, from the late 19th century to the present – a rich mix of documentary images, portraits, and photojournalism sourced from international archives, museum collections, image banks and newspapers. Fenix curated this exhibition in collaboration with photographers, archivists, curators and image editors from around the world. Together, they selected work by renowned individuals including Abbas, Eva Besnyö, Chien-Chi Chang, Robert de Hartogh, Fouad Elkoury, Lewis Hine, Ata Kandó, Dorothea Lange, Yasuhiro Ogawa, Emin Özmen, Sergey Ponomarev, and Alfred Stieglitz.
West Germany, 1989. A trio holds each other tightly amid the celebration following the fall of the Berlin Wall. Guy Le Querrec.
A tribute to The Family of Man
The Family of Migrants is inspired by the iconic photographic exhibition The Family of Man, shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in 1955. That exhibition shared a universal human narrative, and The Family of Migrants does the same, while focusing on migration.
Visit The Family of Migrants at Fenix to discover migration through the lens of iconic photographers from 16 May 2025.
China, 1996. Lovers under a blanket on the train from Guangzhou to Chengdu. Wang Fuchun.
Publication
Accompanying the photo exhibition is a book with the same title, published by Hannibal Books. From 16 May 2025, this will be available at bookstores worldwide and at Fenix.