Unlawful Presences

Unlawful Presences addresses the significant part of the population of Geneva, Switzerland, who lives without legal immigration status. While two thirds of the population of this wealthy area of the world are of immigrant origin, and while the diversity of this city of often celebrated by its inhabitants and politicians alike, the realities of its residents without status remain harsh.

‍Housing, safe working conditions, or access to healthcare, education or justice are not guaranteed and sometimes entirely out of reach, and they are at constant risk of being arrested, imprisoned and expelled from the country. Their portraits by Laurence Rasti are walking a fine line between individual portraiture and the preservation of anonymity for their own safety. Her photographs bring visibility and representation to a part of the population who must remain almost invisible to live in Swiss society. She further contextualises their presence within Geneva by photographing them in well-known public areas and accompanying their portraits with images of demonstrations or administrative buildings related to law enforcement. The photographs were exhibited in 2021 in the streets of Geneva, and a second phase of the project involves an app giving access to the stories of the participants, and providing information on housing, nutrition and other resources for migrants.

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